Vet on the Moove: Creating our own dry cow "Spa Shed"
Stress can play havoc with a healthy immune system, writes farm vet Hazell Mullins
The drying off-season is just around the corner, I know it comes around the same time every year; however, I always feel like it creeps up on me.
Maybe it’s just me, but I never feel fully prepared for the task, yet it gets done every year without any major hiccups. I have noticed some of the girls in the parlour, especially in the first-calvers, are starting to naturally dry up, so they should have put in a great first year for us on the farm.
Along with these younger cows, any high somatic cell count (SCC) cows that remain in the herd may need a longer dry period than other uninfected cows. A cow is classed as infected if their SCC is over 200.
The idea behind a longer dry-off for the high-cell cows is that it gives the udder a chance to recover, gives the cow's immune system the time to fight any existing infection and for an antibiotic tube if used to work effectively.
The key for these cows is to be included in the first milk recording in spring to see what their cure rate was over the dry period i.e. meaning they went from more than 200 SCC to less than 200 SCC.
If they haven’t achieved a cure and they calf down with an SCC of less than 200, they could be acting as a significant reservoir of infection in the next lactation.
To help with the cure rate over the dry period, the environment needs to be a major focus at this time.
We need to treat this time as if the cow is on an extended trip to a "Shed Spa" with no stress allowed, just relaxation, I like to think of it like the "Monart Hotel" for cows.
There is more to a blissful dry period than just managing hygiene, we should all know that cleaning cubicles and applying lime twice a day is the standard.
Space is a critical part of lowering stress in the dry cow shed; each cow should have a cubicle available to her at the very least and at least 70cm of feed space all to herself at feeding times. Pushing up fresh food to the feed barrier regularly is another way to ensure intake.
If you are a young cow trying to find your place in the herd in a claustrophobic dry cow shed with lots of older “ bully” cows, the stress levels are naturally going to be high.
Whereas, if she has a cubical that she doesn’t have to compete with others for and space to eat the feed that she needs to maintain her immune system - this is more like the “Spa holiday” experience.
Last week, we did some upgrades on the sheds, including providing bigger water troughs as we noticed queuing at troughs last year and also adding new mats for cow comfort.
The mats were looking more than a little tired; they had numerous cracks that can act as reservoirs for bacteria that could cause clinical mastitis.
Comfort is key in a dry cow shed; it’s a good idea to look at how your cows are lying in the cubicles, “Are they lying too far forward?” and, if so, then adding a simple wooden or plastic brisket board may help.
Perform a “drop test”, by dropping to your knees onto the mat, if you need an immediate knee replacement then perhaps the cows are feeling that discomfort also. Watch out for physical signs of discomfort throughout the dry period, such as hock lesions and neck abrasions, which can be linked with cubical discomfort.
When treating high cell count cows over the dry period, choosing the most suited anti-biotic tube is essential to treat these infections.
High cell count cows that are over 200 SCC are infected cows and need to be treated appropriately, just like any other infectious disease on the farm.
The responsible use of antibiotics is vital; selecting an antibiotic that is sensitive to the bacteria in question reduces resistance in the herd in the long run.
It is also useful to know the species of bacteria that is the main culprit on the farm, management measures can then be tailored to that particular bacteria.
Consult with your vet to discuss culture and sensitivity and, importantly, what individual high cell count cows to sample to represent the bacteria in your herd accurately.
When taking samples, hygiene is paramount as the lab has frightening statistics on how many samples are submitted with environmental contamination.
The Animal Health Ireland Cell Check Dry Cow Consult TASAH is now reopened for eligible herds, and is a great way to get prepared for the task ahead.
The goal of the consult is to highlight the management factors of drying off and also to choose suitable cows for sealer only.
All the previously trained vets had a refresher webinar on the Dry Cow Consult two weeks ago, and it helped me re-focus on all things dry off due to its seasonal nature.
There is help for farmers with high somatic cell count issues available in the form of the Cell Check lactation consult; there is help available through AHI for all farmers.
Talking of the cow’s holidays - or holidays from cows, in my case - I am jetting off to Venice next week for a little break away. Looking forward to wine, pasta and all things that make Italy truly amazing, “Ciao” for now.
