Look out for feed and calving related diseases
But parasite infections are often neglected.
Perhaps the parasite treatment that is most neglected is for lice.
The damage that lice can do is underestimated.
They can even kill, but of course the usual effects are poor performance and susceptibility to other diseases.
Lice products have different coverage periods, but animals generally need a few treatments during the winter.
Check products for safety and withdrawal periods.
At this time of year, metabolic (feed related) diseases crop up, but can largely be controlled by feeding and management.
Having cows in proper condition at calving, followed by proper feeding after calving will go a long way towards eliminating these problems.
If they occur regularly, consult your vet and Teagasc advisor. The first preventative step is to have incalf heifers and cows fed properly during the dry period, including minerals, and calving down at condition score 3.25 to 3. 5.
Feeding four ounces of a Teagasc standard pre-calver mineral per day for about six weeks before calving helps to prevent milk fever and as other problems.
Make sure there is adequate magnesium in the pre-calver mineral, it is essential for adequate absorption of calcium by cows after calving. Avoid added calcium before calving.
If one cow gets milk fever most of the herd are likely to be low in magnesium, and suffering from sub-clinical magnesium deficiency.
If problems persist consult your vet.
Remember that cows that get milk fever are likely to get other problems such as displaced abomasum, mastitis and infertility.
Some level of ketosis is common in many dairy herds.
It usually occurs in cows losing too much body condition after calving.
This may be due to cows being over-fat at calving, which reduces feed intake after calving, or poor silage, or very low levels of meal feeding.
The symptoms are dullness, going off feed, sudden drop in milk production, and a characteristic smell from cow’s breath, milk and urine.
Contact your vet at the first sign of the problem.
The most serious losses are incurred where there is a low level of the problem throughout the herd, and poor performance or ill-health is not readily identifiable.
A sudden increase in concentrates after calving, or feeding high levels of concentrates, containing too much starchy or acid ingredients, is a frequent cause of acidosis.
Very low pH silage increases the risk.
As well as a reduction in appetite and a drop in yield, there may be general lack of thrive, panting, and laminitis causing lameness.
The best preventative is to feed adequate fibre, and a fibrous dairy ration.
Also, introduce concentrates gradually after calving, especially if concentrates were not fed before calving.
Feeding of alkaline substances such as bread soda may be helpful, but fibrous foods will usually prevent the problem.
Difficult calvings and weak calves can cause major losses ranging from deaths to infertility to poor performance.
As with metabolic diseases, proper feeding the dry period helps minimise the problem.
High quality dry cow minerals and bull selection are essential aids in minimising and preventing calving problems and retained afterbirths.
Infertility
Infertility is still one of the biggest problems on dairy farms. While it’s not always related to nutrition, trials have proved that having cows at the proper condition score calving down and in the run up to and during the breeding season has a major affect on conception.
Only bulls with a high fertility sub index should be used to breed fertile cows.
Minerals containing high levels of trace elements and magnesium should be fed for 4-6 weeks before calving.
These help prevent weak calves, calving problems, retained afterbirths, infertility, milk fever etc.
Always follow recommended feeding rates.
Make sure that all animals get an even share of the minerals by spreading them evenly on silage a few times per day.
Mineral licks are generally not as effective and are more costly per unit of minerals.
