Lehmän utaresairaudet — kenttähavaintoja esiintymisestä, lehmästä ja ympäristöstä johtuvista tekijöistä sekä torjunnasta

The incidence of udder diseases and the predisposing factors were examined in 32 herds, in a total of 500 cows. During a 3-year-period 0.32 cases of clinical mastitis occurred per cow per annum. Subclinical mastitis was detected in 61.2 % of the cows during one year. The average incidence based on a single sampling was 36.5 %. In order to obtain reliable information on the udder health of a herd the occurrence of both clinical and subclinical mastitis must be followed. Clinical cases, both those treated by a veterinarian on a farm visit and those treated by the owner according to phone prescription must be filed statistically. In this study the incidence of mastitis as reported by owner was only half of that actually detected. The incidence of teat injuries requiring veterinary treatment was 0.03 cases per cow per annum. The diagnosis »presence of bacteria» obtained from a milk sample examination using Nordic methods means according to this study in most cases the probable occurrence of infection and mastitis. Scoring of observations made from udder health, and indexes based on these scores prove to be good tools when studying relationships between udder diseases and predisposing factors. Of the somatic factors the age of the cow, stage of lactation, the distance of the rear teats from the stall floor and the position of the teats influence the incidence of mastitis. Therefore, these factors must be taken into consideration in preventive work, especially in the culling of cows. Neither teat shape nor milkability had any connection with the incidence of udder diseases. With regard to the factors in the production environment the incidence of clinical mastitis was influenced especially by the function of the milking machine. Diurnal changes in temperature, when exceeding5 degrees centigrade, increased the occurrence of mastitis. The use of a thermohygrograph is proposed in preventive work. Because of the small number of the herds only in few cases reliable proof could be obtained as to whether the constructional details of the cowshed or stall or the milking hygiene had any effect on udder health. The observations made, however, were not in disagreement with those findings published in other Nordic countries. The significance of the cattle tender as an environmental factor is great. When a mastitis control programme is worked out, therefore, the mastitis situation in a herd, and the predisposing factors detected on the farm must be reliably demonstrated to the owner and the measures required for improvement must be clearly proposed.Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan utaresairauksien esiintymistä ja lehmästä johtuvien tekijöiden sekä tuotantoympäristötekijöiden vaikutusta mainittujen sairauksien esiintymiseen. Tulosten ja käytettyjen tutkimusmenetelmien soveltuvuutta utaretulehduksen järjestelmällisessä torjuntatyössä tiloilla pohditaan. Tutkimusaineisto käsittää 500 lypsylehmää 32 karjasta koillis-Uudeltamaalta. Kliinistä utaretulehdusta esiintyi vuosina 1975—77 keskimäärin 0.32 tapausta lehmää kohti vuodessa. Piilevää utaretulehdusta sairasti maitonäytetutkimusten perusteella näytteenottohetkellä keskimäärin 36,5 % lehmistä. Vuoden 1977 kuluessa sairasti 61.2 % lehmistä vähintään yhdellä tutkimuskerralla piilevää utaretulehdusta. Karjan utareiden terveydentilasta saadaan luotettava kuva vain, jos sekä kliinisten että piilevien utaretulehdusten esiintymistä seurataan, sillä näiden utaretulehdusmuotojen karjakohtaisten esiintymisien välinen korrelaatiokerroin oli vain 0.56***. Sekä eläinlääkärin tilakäynneillä hoitamat että karjanomistajan puhelinmääräysten avulla hoitamat utaretulehdukset on rekisteröitävä, sillä näiden hoitomuotojen suhde vaihteli karjojen välillä suuresti (r = 0.61***). Piilevän utaretulehduksen esiintymistä lehmässä tai karjassa ei voida luotettavasti kuvata yhden maitonäytteen tuloksilla. Yhteispohjoismaisen maitonäytetutkimusmenetelmän mukaan tutkimustulos »bakteeriesiintymä» ei osoita utareen sairastavan utaretulehdusta. Tämän tutkimuksen mukaan »bakteeriesiintymä» merkitsee usein tartunnan olemassaoloa ja utaretulehduksen todennäköistä esiintymistä. Omistajan ilmoitusten mukaan 33.6 % lehmistä oli sairastanut utaretulehdusta ja ilmoituksista laskettu sairastavuus oli keskimäärin 0.18 tapausta lehmää kohti vuodessa. Haastatteluun perustuva sairastavuus oli yhteydessä kliinisen utaretulehduksen esiintymiseen karjoissa (r = 0.58***). Karjoissa, joissa utaretulehdusta esiintyi runsaasti, saatiin haastattelemalla selville suhteellisesti suurempi osa tapauksista. Eläinlääkärin hoitoa vaativia vedinvaurioita esiintyi 0.03 tapausta lehmää kohti vuodessa. Yksittäisessä tarkastuksessa todettiin utareen ja vetimien iholla vaurioita 4 %:lla lehmistä ja vetimen pään vaurioita 44 %:lla lehmistä. Vauriot olivat lieviä. Utareiden terveydentilasta tehtyjen havaintojen pisteyttäminen ja niistä muodostetut indeksit osoittautuivat käyttökelpoisiksi apuvälineiksi utaresairauksien ja niihin altistavien tekijöiden välisten vuorovaikutusten tutkimisessa

Effect of colostrum feeding method and presence of dam on the sleep, rest and sucking behaviour of newborn calves

"In rats, sucking milk reduces anxiety and promotes non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, and in calves it induces resting but the effect on sleep is unknown. Here, we investigated how calves' sleep was affected by colostrum feeding methods. Forty-one calves were blocked by birth date and randomly allotted within blocks to the experimental treatments. Calves were housed for four days either with their dam (DAM) or individually with warm colostrum feeding (2 L four times a day) from either a teat bucket (TEAT) or an open bucket (BUCKET). DAM calves suckled their dam freely. Calves' sleeping and sucking behaviour was filmed continuously for 48 h at the ages of two and three days. Behavioural sleep (BS) was defined as calves resting at least 30 s with their head still and raised (non-rapid eye movement) or with their head against their body or the ground (rapid eye movement, REM). Latency from the end of colostrum feeding to the start of BS was recorded. We compared behaviour of TEAT calves with that of DAM and BUCKET calves using mixed models. Milk meal duration was significantly longer for TEAT calves than for BUCKET calves (mean +/- S.E.M.; 8.3 +/- 0.6 min vs. 5.2 +/- 0.6 min), but equal to that of DAM calves. We found no effect of feeding method on the duration of daily BS (12 h 59 min I h 38 min) but we found a tendency for the daily amount of NREM sleep; BUCKET calves had less NREM sleep per day than TEAT calves (6 h 18 min vs. 7 h 48 min, S.E.M. = 45 min) and also longer latencies from milk ingestion to BS (21.9 +/- 2.0 min vs. 16.2 +/- 2.0 min). DAM calves slept longer bouts than TEAT calves (10.8 +/- 1.0 min vs. 8.3 +/- 1.0 min) and less often (78 +/- 4 vs. 92 +/- 4). Sucking colostrum from a teat bucket compared with drinking from an open""In rats, sucking milk reduces anxiety and promotes non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, and in calves it induces resting but the effect on sleep is unknown. Here, we investigated how calves' sleep was affected by colostrum feeding methods. Forty-one calves were blocked by birth date and randomly allotted within blocks to the experimental treatments. Calves were housed for four days either with their dam (DAM) or individually with warm colostrum feeding (2 L four times a day) from either a teat bucket (TEAT) or an open bucket (BUCKET). DAM calves suckled their dam freely. Calves' sleeping and sucking behaviour was filmed continuously for 48 h at the ages of two and three days. Behavioural sleep (BS) was defined as calves resting at least 30 s with their head still and raised (non-rapid eye movement) or with their head against their body or the ground (rapid eye movement, REM). Latency from the end of colostrum feeding to the start of BS was recorded. We compared behaviour of TEAT calves with that of DAM and BUCKET calves using mixed models. Milk meal duration was significantly longer for TEAT calves than for BUCKET calves (mean +/- S.E.M.; 8.3 +/- 0.6 min vs. 5.2 +/- 0.6 min), but equal to that of DAM calves. We found no effect of feeding method on the duration of daily BS (12 h 59 min I h 38 min) but we found a tendency for the daily amount of NREM sleep; BUCKET calves had less NREM sleep per day than TEAT calves (6 h 18 min vs. 7 h 48 min, S.E.M. = 45 min) and also longer latencies from milk ingestion to BS (21.9 +/- 2.0 min vs. 16.2 +/- 2.0 min). DAM calves slept longer bouts than TEAT calves (10.8 +/- 1.0 min vs. 8.3 +/- 1.0 min) and less often (78 +/- 4 vs. 92 +/- 4). Sucking colostrum from a teat bucket compared with drinking from an open""In rats, sucking milk reduces anxiety and promotes non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, and in calves it induces resting but the effect on sleep is unknown. Here, we investigated how calves' sleep was affected by colostrum feeding methods. Forty-one calves were blocked by birth date and randomly allotted within blocks to the experimental treatments. Calves were housed for four days either with their dam (DAM) or individually with warm colostrum feeding (2 L four times a day) from either a teat bucket (TEAT) or an open bucket (BUCKET). DAM calves suckled their dam freely. Calves' sleeping and sucking behaviour was filmed continuously for 48 h at the ages of two and three days. Behavioural sleep (BS) was defined as calves resting at least 30 s with their head still and raised (non-rapid eye movement) or with their head against their body or the ground (rapid eye movement, REM). Latency from the end of colostrum feeding to the start of BS was recorded. We compared behaviour of TEAT calves with that of DAM and BUCKET calves using mixed models. Milk meal duration was significantly longer for TEAT calves than for BUCKET calves (mean +/- S.E.M.; 8.3 +/- 0.6 min vs. 5.2 +/- 0.6 min), but equal to that of DAM calves. We found no effect of feeding method on the duration of daily BS (12 h 59 min I h 38 min) but we found a tendency for the daily amount of NREM sleep; BUCKET calves had less NREM sleep per day than TEAT calves (6 h 18 min vs. 7 h 48 min, S.E.M. = 45 min) and also longer latencies from milk ingestion to BS (21.9 +/- 2.0 min vs. 16.2 +/- 2.0 min). DAM calves slept longer bouts than TEAT calves (10.8 +/- 1.0 min vs. 8.3 +/- 1.0 min) and less often (78 +/- 4 vs. 92 +/- 4). Sucking colostrum from a teat bucket compared with drinking from an open"Peer reviewe

Sow and piglet skin, claw and nipple lesions on two concrete flooring materials during lactation period

The aim of the study was to investigate the skin, claw and nipple lesions of sows and their piglets while they were kept on two different flooring materials: concrete cement and concrete covered with polyurethane and graveled with sand (particles 0.5-1.2 mm)

Study of the phytoestrogen content of goat’s rue (Galega orientalis), alfalfa (Medicago sutiva) and white clover (Trifolium repens)

Studies were conducted to determine the phytoestrogen content of goat’s rue (Galega orientalis Lam.), alfalfa (Medicago saliva L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.), all belonging to the Fabaceae family subjected to test cultivation at research stations of the Agricultural Research Centre of Finland. Apart from some insignificant quantities, goat’s rue did not contain any known phytoestrogens. Even in biological studies it had no estrogenic effect. The estrogenic effect of alfalfa was apparently due to coumestrol, which was discovered in the samples in quantities of 34-65 ppm. All white clover varieties contained very small quantities of estrogenic isoflavones and coumestrol, and they did not explain the increased weight of the immature rat uterus observed in the biological studies

Effects of sand and straw bedding on the lying behavior, cleanliness, and hoof and hock injuries of dairy cows

"This experiment compared the effects of sand and straw bedding in free stalls on resting time, cleanliness, hock injuries, and hoof health of dairy cows and tested whether cow preferences for a bedding material depended on the familiarity with the material. A total of 52 dairy cows were kept either on straw bedded concrete stalls or sand stalls for at least 21 wk. The lying behavior was observed, and hock lesions, hoof health, and cleanliness of the cows and stalls were measured. A 5-d preference test between sand and straw stalls was conducted at the end of the experiment. The total daily duration of lying was longer for cows on straw bedding than on sand bedding (straw 749 +/- 16 vs. sand 678 +/- 19 min). During the preference test, cows that had been kept on straw bedding preferred lying in straw stalls [straw 218.7 (133.4 to 239.7) vs. sand 9.0 min (2.8 to 44.8)]; however, cows that had been kept on sand showed no preference [straw 101.3 (51.7 to 205.9) vs. sand 94.3 min (54.1 to 156.1, median and interquartile range)]. Although there were no differences in the dirtiness of stalls, the cows using straw stalls were dirtier than cows using sand stalls [straw 6.04 (5.39 to 6.28) vs. sand 4.19 (3.62 to 5.16)]. At the end of experiment the severity of hock lesions was lower for cows on sand than for cows on straw [sand 0.5 (0.0 to 1.0) vs. straw 1.0 (1.0 to 2.0)]. The improvement in overall hoof health over the observation period was greater for cows kept on sand compared with cows kept on straw [sand -2.00 (-3.75 to -0.25) vs. straw 0.00 (-2.00 to 2.00)]. Straw bedding increased the time that cows spend lying, and cows preferred straw stalls to sand stalls. However, previous experience with sand reduces avoidance of sand stalls. Sand stalls were advantageous for cow cleanliness and health; hock lesions and claw diseases healed more quickly for cows using sand stalls compared with straw.""This experiment compared the effects of sand and straw bedding in free stalls on resting time, cleanliness, hock injuries, and hoof health of dairy cows and tested whether cow preferences for a bedding material depended on the familiarity with the material. A total of 52 dairy cows were kept either on straw bedded concrete stalls or sand stalls for at least 21 wk. The lying behavior was observed, and hock lesions, hoof health, and cleanliness of the cows and stalls were measured. A 5-d preference test between sand and straw stalls was conducted at the end of the experiment. The total daily duration of lying was longer for cows on straw bedding than on sand bedding (straw 749 +/- 16 vs. sand 678 +/- 19 min). During the preference test, cows that had been kept on straw bedding preferred lying in straw stalls [straw 218.7 (133.4 to 239.7) vs. sand 9.0 min (2.8 to 44.8)]; however, cows that had been kept on sand showed no preference [straw 101.3 (51.7 to 205.9) vs. sand 94.3 min (54.1 to 156.1, median and interquartile range)]. Although there were no differences in the dirtiness of stalls, the cows using straw stalls were dirtier than cows using sand stalls [straw 6.04 (5.39 to 6.28) vs. sand 4.19 (3.62 to 5.16)]. At the end of experiment the severity of hock lesions was lower for cows on sand than for cows on straw [sand 0.5 (0.0 to 1.0) vs. straw 1.0 (1.0 to 2.0)]. The improvement in overall hoof health over the observation period was greater for cows kept on sand compared with cows kept on straw [sand -2.00 (-3.75 to -0.25) vs. straw 0.00 (-2.00 to 2.00)]. Straw bedding increased the time that cows spend lying, and cows preferred straw stalls to sand stalls. However, previous experience with sand reduces avoidance of sand stalls. Sand stalls were advantageous for cow cleanliness and health; hock lesions and claw diseases healed more quickly for cows using sand stalls compared with straw.""This experiment compared the effects of sand and straw bedding in free stalls on resting time, cleanliness, hock injuries, and hoof health of dairy cows and tested whether cow preferences for a bedding material depended on the familiarity with the material. A total of 52 dairy cows were kept either on straw bedded concrete stalls or sand stalls for at least 21 wk. The lying behavior was observed, and hock lesions, hoof health, and cleanliness of the cows and stalls were measured. A 5-d preference test between sand and straw stalls was conducted at the end of the experiment. The total daily duration of lying was longer for cows on straw bedding than on sand bedding (straw 749 +/- 16 vs. sand 678 +/- 19 min). During the preference test, cows that had been kept on straw bedding preferred lying in straw stalls [straw 218.7 (133.4 to 239.7) vs. sand 9.0 min (2.8 to 44.8)]; however, cows that had been kept on sand showed no preference [straw 101.3 (51.7 to 205.9) vs. sand 94.3 min (54.1 to 156.1, median and interquartile range)]. Although there were no differences in the dirtiness of stalls, the cows using straw stalls were dirtier than cows using sand stalls [straw 6.04 (5.39 to 6.28) vs. sand 4.19 (3.62 to 5.16)]. At the end of experiment the severity of hock lesions was lower for cows on sand than for cows on straw [sand 0.5 (0.0 to 1.0) vs. straw 1.0 (1.0 to 2.0)]. The improvement in overall hoof health over the observation period was greater for cows kept on sand compared with cows kept on straw [sand -2.00 (-3.75 to -0.25) vs. straw 0.00 (-2.00 to 2.00)]. Straw bedding increased the time that cows spend lying, and cows preferred straw stalls to sand stalls. However, previous experience with sand reduces avoidance of sand stalls. Sand stalls were advantageous for cow cleanliness and health; hock lesions and claw diseases healed more quickly for cows using sand stalls compared with straw."Peer reviewe

The effect of colostral immunoglobulin supplement on the passive immunity, growth and health of neonatal calves

Neonatal dairy calves were randomly allotted to three colostrum feeding regimens with increasing intakes of immunoglobulins (Ig) on the first day of life. The control group was fed one litre of pooled colostrum (Ig intake 19.5 g). In two experimental groups, the pooled colostrum was supplemented with 0.5 or 1.5 litres of commercial Ig-concentrate, giving a total Ig intake of 52.7 and 119.0 g, respectively. Serum IgG, IgM and IgA levels increased linearly (p < 0.001) on day 2 post partum with the increasing Ig intake. The calculated mean Ig-absorption rate was 61% and decreased linearly for IgM (p = 0.051) and IgG (p = 0.078) with increasing Ig intake. At the highest Ig intake, serum IgG remained above 10 g/l during 30 days post partum. In the experimental groups, serum IgM and IgA decreased sharply during the first week of life and were relatively constant thereafter. In the control group, however, there was an increase in serum IgM after one week post partum, perhaps due to the in situ production of Ig. With the increasing Ig intake there was a small and non-significant tendency for better live weight gain (p = 0.286) and a lower incidence of diarrhoea (p = 0.421) during the first four weeks of life. It is concluded that the Ig-product tested is well absorbed during 24 hours post partum and it can be used either as a supplement to maternal colostrum when its quality is poor, or as a substitute when colostrum is not available

Puna-apila sisältää runsaasti kasviestrogeeneja

Nurmipalkokasveissa on kasviestrogeeneja, joiden pelätään aiheuttavan hedelmällisyyshäiriöitä lehmälle ja lampaalle. Näin saattaakin tapahtua, jos eläimiä ruokitaan pelkällä tuoreella puna-apilalla tai siitä tehdyllä säilörehulla. Hedelmällisyysriskejä voidaan kuitenkin vähentää, kun käytetään rehuna puna-apilan ja nurmiheinäkasvin seosta sekä valitaan sopiva palkokasvilaji tai myöhäinen kehitysaste. Myös säilörehun raaka-aineen esikuivaus ja säilöntäaineen käyttö vähentävät hieman estrogeenitehoa.vo

Effect of crate height during short-term confinement on the welfare and behaviour of turkeys

During transport from the farm to the slaughter house birds are often confined in crates with limited space. In this study we investigated how the confinement of male turkeys in crates of 40, 55 or 90 cm height for 6 h, affected the turkeys welfare. We used both behavioural observations and physiological measures and the study was carried out under experimental conditions. Thirty-six turkeys were placed singly in stationary crates for 6 h and during this time their behaviour was observed. The confinement for each bird was carried out twice on two separate occasions with around 1 week between confinements. The mean (±SE) weight of the birds in the first confinement period was 15.9 ± 0.2 kg and on the second occasion 17.3 ± 0.2 kg. Blood-samples were taken after the behaviour observations were finished and analyses of activities of creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) and lactate were carried out. The heterophil:lymphocyte ratio (H:L) was also determined. The behaviour observations revealed that birds in the 40 cm crates did not perform any standing (standing with straight legs), whereas birds in 55 and 90 cm crates spent 35.4 ± 4.3 and 42.2 ± 5.8% of the time, respectively, in this position. Conversely, birds in the 40 cm crates spent significantly more time in a low standing position (standing with the legs bent) than birds in the 55 and 90 cm crates. More stepping, turning and preening was performed in the 55 and 90 cm compared to the 40 cm crates, whereas more rising attempts were made in the 40 cm crates. Crate height had no effect on the activity of ASAT or CK activity or H:L ratio. There was a significant effect of crate height on the lactate with birds in the 55 cm crates having significantly lower lactate concentrations than birds in 40 cm crates, but there was no significant difference in lactate concentration between 55 and 90 cm or between the 40 and 90 cm crates. This may indicate that there was a difference between treatments on the anaerobic activity, although the effect of sampling procedure cannot be completely excluded. Thus the degree of confinement in the crates had little influence on the physiological measures taken, although there was a large effect on the birds’ behaviour. The 40 cm crates decreased the birds possibility to move and change their positions, whereas the 55 cm crates allowed the birds to stand up and move around almost as much as if kept in free height, even if they were not able to stretch their necks while standing.During transport from the farm to the slaughter house birds are often confined in crates with limited space. In this study we investigated how the confinement of male turkeys in crates of 40, 55 or 90 cm height for 6 h, affected the turkeys welfare. We used both behavioural observations and physiological measures and the study was carried out under experimental conditions. Thirty-six turkeys were placed singly in stationary crates for 6 h and during this time their behaviour was observed. The confinement for each bird was carried out twice on two separate occasions with around 1 week between confinements. The mean (±SE) weight of the birds in the first confinement period was 15.9 ± 0.2 kg and on the second occasion 17.3 ± 0.2 kg. Blood-samples were taken after the behaviour observations were finished and analyses of activities of creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) and lactate were carried out. The heterophil:lymphocyte ratio (H:L) was also determined. The behaviour observations revealed that birds in the 40 cm crates did not perform any standing (standing with straight legs), whereas birds in 55 and 90 cm crates spent 35.4 ± 4.3 and 42.2 ± 5.8% of the time, respectively, in this position. Conversely, birds in the 40 cm crates spent significantly more time in a low standing position (standing with the legs bent) than birds in the 55 and 90 cm crates. More stepping, turning and preening was performed in the 55 and 90 cm compared to the 40 cm crates, whereas more rising attempts were made in the 40 cm crates. Crate height had no effect on the activity of ASAT or CK activity or H:L ratio. There was a significant effect of crate height on the lactate with birds in the 55 cm crates having significantly lower lactate concentrations than birds in 40 cm crates, but there was no significant difference in lactate concentration between 55 and 90 cm or between the 40 and 90 cm crates. This may indicate that there was a difference between treatments on the anaerobic activity, although the effect of sampling procedure cannot be completely excluded. Thus the degree of confinement in the crates had little influence on the physiological measures taken, although there was a large effect on the birds’ behaviour. The 40 cm crates decreased the birds possibility to move and change their positions, whereas the 55 cm crates allowed the birds to stand up and move around almost as much as if kept in free height, even if they were not able to stretch their necks while standing.Peer reviewe