Erste Untersuchungsergebnisse zur Stoffwechselsituation von Milchvieherden bei der Umstellung auf Vollweidehaltung

Pasture based production systems should feed as much as possible pasture gras on the total year ration. On 5 austrian farms, changing to pasture based milk production, blood and urine samples of cows were examined to detect changes and exposure in metabolism during the year and lactation. Some changes in blood parameters were detected at the beginning of the pasture. Changes of feeding at the beginning of the pasture showed a decrease in phosphorus in serum. Net-acid-base excretion also showed the burden of feeding a minimum or none of concentrate and the decreased fedding of crude fibre at the beginning of the pasture

Fütterungsbedingte Alkalose: ein Problem für die Tiergesundheit? Fallbericht aus einem Biobetrieb

The acid-base equilibrium is of vital importance for living organisms. Its shifts affect practically all life processes, thus resulting in decreased milk production, sterility, etc. which may cause economic losses. Strong alcalosis in the dry period raises the risk of milk fever after parturition. Examinations on an organic farm were performed because of cumulative occurrence of milk fever and retained placenta. One total mixed ration with excessive supplementation of minerals was fed to all milking cows. The rest of this ration was fed to the cows during the dry period. Net-acid-base-excretion in urine showed a strong alkalosis especially in the dry cows. After modification in feed man-agement milk fever and retained placenta never occurred during the observed period. Blood examination, especially in calcium, and net-acid-base-excretion showed better results after these modifications

Metabolic Profile and Inflammatory Responses in Dairy Cows with Left Displaced Abomasum Kept under Small-Scaled Farm Conditions

Left displaced abomasum (LDA) is a severe metabolic disease of cattle with a strong negative impact on production efficiency of dairy farms. Metabolic and inflammatory alterations associated with this disease have been reported in earlier studies, conducted mostly in large dairy farms. This research aimed to: (1) evaluate metabolic and inflammatory responses in dairy cows affected by LDA in small-scaled dairy farms; and (2) establish an Animals 2015, 5 1022 association between lactation number and milk production with the outcome of metabolic variables. The cows with LDA had lower serum calcium (Ca), but greater concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and beta-hydroxy-butyrate (BHBA), in particular when lactation number was >2. Cows with LDA showed elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase, and serum amyloid A (SAA), regardless of lactation number. In addition, this study revealed strong associations between milk yield and the alteration of metabolic profile but not with inflammation in the sick cows. Results indicate metabolic alterations, liver damage, and inflammation in LDA cows kept under small-scale farm conditions. Furthermore, the data suggest exacerbation of metabolic profile and Ca metabolism but not of inflammation and liver health with increasing lactation number and milk yield in cows affected by LDA