Dairy Cow Colds Affect Milk Yield: How to Prevent Them in Spring

    In spring, temperatures fluctuate between hot and cold, making dairy cows prone to colds. Affected cows show a drop in milk yield and reduced milk quality, and should be treated promptly.

Dairy cow

    Clinical symptoms:Dairy cow colds present as listlessness, occasional tearing, clear nasal discharge, dry muzzle, reduced appetite or even complete refusal to eat, little or no rumination, and elevated body temperature reaching 40—42°C.

    Western medicine treatment:

    For cows detected early, with mild illness and good body condition, 20—60 ml of 30% analgin or antipyrine compound can be injected intramuscularly, 2—3 times a day for two consecutive days, and the cow will recover. To prevent secondary infection, 4—6.4 million units of penicillin and 2 million units of streptomycin can be added to each injection. Injections should preferably be given after milking.

    For cows detected late, with severe illness and poor body condition, 500—1500 ml of glucose saline (that is, 5% glucose sodium chloride injection), 8—12 million units of penicillin, 4 million units of streptomycin, 2—4 grams of vitamin C, and 10—30 mg of 10% caffeine sodium benzoate can be injected intravenously.

    Traditional Chinese medicine treatment:

    Take 30 grams of ephedra; 25 grams each of cassia twig, poria, bupleurum, phellodendron, forsythia, and Descurainia sophia seed; 20 grams each of saposhnikovia, polygala, plantain seed, Alisma, and platycodon; 50 grams each of honeysuckle and ginger; with white liquor as the guiding agent. Decoct in water and administer orally, once a day for 3 consecutive days.

    In addition, depending on the cow's condition, on the basis of the above prescription: for sick cows with cough symptoms, add 30 grams each of tangerine peel, apricot kernel, and coltsfoot flower; for those with wheezing, add 30 grams of trichosanthes seed; for those with bloat, add 30 grams each of green tangerine peel and bitter orange; for those with dry stool, add 60 grams of rhubarb and 100 grams of glauber's salt; for those that are weak, add 60 grams each of codonopsis and astragalus.