Prevention and Treatment Methods for Feed-Induced Diseases in Dairy Cows

In the process of dairy cow breeding, farmers mostly use various local grasses, vegetables, agricultural by-products and industrial by-products as feed. Occasionally, improper feed handling leads to dairy cow illness, reducing milk yield and quality, and even causing cow death, which affects the development of the cattle industry. The prevention and treatment methods for feed-induced diseases in dairy cows are introduced as follows:  

Disease caused by moldy corn: When dairy cows are fed moldy corn feed, the affected cows show weakened or stopped rumination, cloudy corneas, yellow-stained mucous membranes, diarrhea, emaciation; some have confusion, excitement and circling, and may even faint and die.  

Prevention: When storing corn, the moisture content should be controlled below 12.5%. For lightly moldy corn, soak it in a 10% quicklime solution to remove the mold before using it as feed.  

Treatment: Immediately stop feeding the moldy feed, administer 400 g to 600 g of magnesium sulfate orally with water, and inject 500 mL to 1000 mL of glucose saline and 50 mL of 40% urotropine intravenously.  

Disease caused by spoiled sweet potatoes: When dairy cows eat spoiled sweet potatoes containing fungal toxins, they become listless, rumination weakens or stops, constipation occurs, breathing becomes rapid and difficult; in severe cases, they become comatose, convulse, and eventually die.  

Prevention: Do not feed dairy cows sweet potatoes infected with black spot disease.  

Treatment: Immediately stop feeding the spoiled sweet potato feed. 500 g each of raw mung beans and honey can be mixed well and administered orally once, or 2000 mL of 0.1% to 0.2% potassium permanganate solution can be given orally; during constipation, administer 400 g to 600 g of magnesium sulfate orally, and at the same time intravenously inject 500 mL to 1000 mL of 25% glucose, 10 mL of 10% caffeine sodium benzoate, and 250 mL to 500 mL of 5% sodium bicarbonate and other medications.  

Disease caused by rotten cabbage: Cabbage and various wild grasses and wild vegetables contain nitrates, which after stewing or heating and rotting will oxidize into nitrites, and dairy cows will be poisoned after eating them.  

Prevention: Vegetable feeds are generally better fed raw; do not feed rotten or spoiled green grass or green vegetables. Vegetables and grasses that need to be cooked should be cooked and fed immediately, not left overnight, to prevent them from spoiling.  

Treatment: For mild poisoning, administer 5 to 7 egg whites or 500 g of milk orally; for severe cases in dairy cows, intravenously inject 150 mL of 1% to 2% methylene blue solution, 1000 mL of 5% glucose, and 20 mL of 10% caffeine sodium benzoate. You can also use 8 to 10 bottles of blue-black ink mixed with 1.5 times the amount of water and administer orally.  

Distiller's grains poisoning: Distiller's grains contain acetic acid and alcohol substances, and feeding large amounts can also easily cause disease in dairy cows. Symptoms include mental excitement, unsteady behavior, flushed mucous membranes, skin rashes on the underside of the abdomen around the udder, alternating constipation and diarrhea, accompanied by symptoms such as abdominal pain, paralysis, and collapse.  

Prevention: Control the amount of distiller's grains used; dry grains should not exceed 10%, and fresh grains should not exceed 30%. Do not feed severely moldy distiller's grains to cattle; lightly moldy distiller's grains can first be mixed with 1% limewater before feeding to cattle.  

Treatment: Administer 1500 mL of 1% baking soda solution or soy milk water orally, intravenously inject 1500 mL of 5% glucose; for those with skin rashes, rinse the affected area with 1% potassium permanganate solution.  

Disease caused by sprouted potatoes: When dairy cows eat sprouted potatoes or potato stems and leaves containing large amounts of solanine, mild cases show weakened rumination, drooling, diarrhea, and rashes on the lower back; severe cases show stopped rumination, progressing from restlessness to depression, paralysis of the limbs, and convulsions and spasms leading to death.  

Prevention: When feeding, remove the sprouted, green and rotten parts, cook thoroughly to remove water, and feed in combination with other feeds; do not feed potatoes to pregnant dairy cows.  

Treatment: Wash the stomach with 0.1% potassium permanganate solution, administer 1000 mL of tannic acid solution orally; for severe cases in dairy cows, intravenously inject 1500 mL of 5% glucose and 10 mL of 10% caffeine sodium benzoate.