Detailed Explanation of Common Diseases in Dairy Cows and Their Prevention and Treatment Methods (Part 1)
Common Diseases in Dairy Cows and Their Prevention and Treatment (Part 1)
(Agricultural Wealth Network) I. Mastitis
Mastitis is a frequently occurring disease in dairy cows, with 20%-60% of lactating cows having experienced mastitis. After the udder becomes inflamed, milk secretion decreases, milk quality deteriorates, and the inflammation can ultimately destroy mammary gland tissue, causing partial or complete loss of lactation function in the udder. Udder trauma, improper milking methods, incomplete milking or delayed milking, combined with unsanitary environment and neglect of udder hygiene, provide opportunities for microbial infection, all of which can promote the occurrence of this disease. 80%-90% of cases are caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus infection, and herds fed high-protein diets are prone to developing it. According to the nature of the inflammation, it can be divided into serous inflammation, catarrhal inflammation and fibrinous inflammation. The udder becomes red, swollen, hot and painful, milk secretion decreases, and systemic symptoms may also appear. If treatment is delayed, it turns into chronic suppurative inflammation, which in most cases causes udder induration and atrophy, with one or more quarters losing lactation function. In some cases, mastitis can cause udder stricture or atresia, and in individual cases it can lead to secondary udder gangrene or even death of the affected cow.
Treatment: 1. In the early stage during the red, swollen, hot and painful phase, cold compresses can be applied. In the later stage, hot compresses can be applied 2-3 times. 2. Intramammary flushing can produce good results in the treatment of all types of mastitis. Before flushing, the teats should be disinfected and the accumulated milk in the udder should be squeezed out as completely as possible. Each teat should first be flushed with 1%-2% baking soda solution before injecting antibacterial drugs. 3. For suppurative mastitis, if the abscess is located in the superficial subcutaneous layer, it should be incised and drained as early as possible; if it is in a deep layer, the pus should be aspirated with a syringe, and then antibacterial drugs should be injected.
Prevention: Maintain the hygiene of the barn and udder, milk correctly, and strengthen feeding management.
II. Ketosis
This disease is also called ketonemia. It is a disease caused by metabolic disorders of carbohydrates and volatile fatty acids, with ketone bodies (acetoacetic acid, acetone and beta-hydroxybutyric acid) accumulating in the blood and tissues. It mostly occurs in high-producing housed dairy cows that lack exercise and are fed diets rich in protein and fat. Due to disorders of glucose and fat metabolism, large amounts of ketone bodies accumulate in the body. At the same time, blood glucose decreases and blood lipids increase, leading to a series of symptoms. It mostly occurs in well-nourished high-producing dairy cows aged 4-9 years, often onsetting 1 week after calving. The main symptoms are decreased appetite, declining body condition, and reduced milk yield; neurological symptoms manifest as initial excitement followed by depression; in the later stage, nutritional exhaustion, emaciation, limb paralysis, inability to stand, and sometimes a semi-comatose state are commonly seen. The breath of affected cows and their milk and urine all contain a ketone-like odor (resembling the aromatic smell of chloroform).
Treatment: 1. Blood glucose levels must be increased as quickly as possible. To achieve this, intravenously inject 500-1000 milliliters of 25%-50% glucose, twice daily for 2-3 consecutive days. Sodium propionate, propylene glycol or glycerol can also be given orally. 2. Intravenously inject 300-500 milliliters of 3%-5% sodium bicarbonate injection or 250-500 milliliters of 11.2% sodium lactate injection to alleviate acidosis.
In normal times, feeding management should be strengthened to ensure that energy needs under various production states are met, feed should be rationally formulated, and more sugar-rich feed, high-quality green (dry) grass and succulent feed should be provided. The herd should have appropriate exercise and sunlight exposure.
III. Rumen Atony
This disease is caused by decreased contractility and excitability of the forestomach, resulting in delayed discharge of forestomach contents. It is mainly caused by improper feeding management such as sudden feed changes, improper feed mixing and preparation, poor feed quality and unclean drinking water. Affected cows show reduced or stopped appetite, rumination and belching, decreased milk yield, depression, weakened rumen motility, and foul-smelling belching. Rectal examination or palpation of the rumen gives a feeling of fullness but not hardness; body temperature and pulse are generally normal. A small number of acute cases may recover without treatment after fasting for 2-4 days, but most cases, if not treated promptly, will become chronic, with the affected cow progressively losing weight, cessation of lactation, deterioration of body condition, exhaustion, and inability to stand, leading to death.
Treatment: 1. Fast for 1-2 days, combined with rumen massage, to promote recovery of rumen function. 2. The purpose of drug treatment is to stimulate rumen motility (rumen stimulants), prevent abnormal fermentation (antifermentatives), eliminate pathogenic contents (purgatives), and promote recovery of appetite and rumination. 3. Rumen lavage plays an important role in treating this disease.
IV. Rumen Impaction
Rumen impaction is an acute disease of dairy cows, characterized by indigestion and the accumulation and fermentation of food masses in the rumen. Impaction caused by bean and grain concentrates often damages the central nervous system, resulting in dehydration and acidosis, ataxia, collapse, and so on. After excessive consumption of starch-rich and root-tuber feeds, certain Gram-positive bacteria in the rumen such as Streptococcus bovis break them down and produce large amounts of organic acids, inhibiting or even killing the ciliates that decompose and utilize cellulose and the microorganisms that utilize lactate, which is an important cause of the disease. After lactic acid in the rumen is absorbed, it leads to acidosis in the body, and the irritation of lactic acid on the rumen mucosa can cause chemical rumenitis. Acute cases develop symptoms within 12 hours after feeding; the initial symptom is mental excitement, with the cow kicking its abdomen with its hind legs due to abdominal pain. Subsequently, the cow becomes depressed, unwilling to move, has rapid breathing, often groans, completely stops eating, and drinks less water. In severe cases, the gait is staggering, walking is unsteady, vision is unclear, and obstacles are not avoided. When the course of disease extends beyond 48 hours, the affected cow often lies down and cannot stand, assuming a posture like post-partum paralysis, responds slowly to various stimuli, and enters a comatose state. Most have severe dehydration and acidosis symptoms, and if untreated, they may die within 72 hours.
Treatment: The methods for treating rumen atony can be used, including fasting and purgation, lavage to remove rumen contents combined with the use of rumen stimulants. Increase blood alkali reserve and reduce autogenous acidosis.
Mastitis is a frequently occurring disease in dairy cows, with 20%-60% of lactating cows having experienced mastitis. After the udder becomes inflamed, milk secretion decreases, milk quality deteriorates, and the inflammation can ultimately destroy mammary gland tissue, causing partial or complete loss of lactation function in the udder. Udder trauma, improper milking methods, incomplete milking or delayed milking, combined with unsanitary environment and neglect of udder hygiene, provide opportunities for microbial infection, all of which can promote the occurrence of this disease. 80%-90% of cases are caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus infection, and herds fed high-protein diets are prone to developing it. According to the nature of the inflammation, it can be divided into serous inflammation, catarrhal inflammation and fibrinous inflammation. The udder becomes red, swollen, hot and painful, milk secretion decreases, and systemic symptoms may also appear. If treatment is delayed, it turns into chronic suppurative inflammation, which in most cases causes udder induration and atrophy, with one or more quarters losing lactation function. In some cases, mastitis can cause udder stricture or atresia, and in individual cases it can lead to secondary udder gangrene or even death of the affected cow.
Treatment: 1. In the early stage during the red, swollen, hot and painful phase, cold compresses can be applied. In the later stage, hot compresses can be applied 2-3 times. 2. Intramammary flushing can produce good results in the treatment of all types of mastitis. Before flushing, the teats should be disinfected and the accumulated milk in the udder should be squeezed out as completely as possible. Each teat should first be flushed with 1%-2% baking soda solution before injecting antibacterial drugs. 3. For suppurative mastitis, if the abscess is located in the superficial subcutaneous layer, it should be incised and drained as early as possible; if it is in a deep layer, the pus should be aspirated with a syringe, and then antibacterial drugs should be injected.
Prevention: Maintain the hygiene of the barn and udder, milk correctly, and strengthen feeding management.
II. Ketosis
This disease is also called ketonemia. It is a disease caused by metabolic disorders of carbohydrates and volatile fatty acids, with ketone bodies (acetoacetic acid, acetone and beta-hydroxybutyric acid) accumulating in the blood and tissues. It mostly occurs in high-producing housed dairy cows that lack exercise and are fed diets rich in protein and fat. Due to disorders of glucose and fat metabolism, large amounts of ketone bodies accumulate in the body. At the same time, blood glucose decreases and blood lipids increase, leading to a series of symptoms. It mostly occurs in well-nourished high-producing dairy cows aged 4-9 years, often onsetting 1 week after calving. The main symptoms are decreased appetite, declining body condition, and reduced milk yield; neurological symptoms manifest as initial excitement followed by depression; in the later stage, nutritional exhaustion, emaciation, limb paralysis, inability to stand, and sometimes a semi-comatose state are commonly seen. The breath of affected cows and their milk and urine all contain a ketone-like odor (resembling the aromatic smell of chloroform).
Treatment: 1. Blood glucose levels must be increased as quickly as possible. To achieve this, intravenously inject 500-1000 milliliters of 25%-50% glucose, twice daily for 2-3 consecutive days. Sodium propionate, propylene glycol or glycerol can also be given orally. 2. Intravenously inject 300-500 milliliters of 3%-5% sodium bicarbonate injection or 250-500 milliliters of 11.2% sodium lactate injection to alleviate acidosis.
In normal times, feeding management should be strengthened to ensure that energy needs under various production states are met, feed should be rationally formulated, and more sugar-rich feed, high-quality green (dry) grass and succulent feed should be provided. The herd should have appropriate exercise and sunlight exposure.
III. Rumen Atony
This disease is caused by decreased contractility and excitability of the forestomach, resulting in delayed discharge of forestomach contents. It is mainly caused by improper feeding management such as sudden feed changes, improper feed mixing and preparation, poor feed quality and unclean drinking water. Affected cows show reduced or stopped appetite, rumination and belching, decreased milk yield, depression, weakened rumen motility, and foul-smelling belching. Rectal examination or palpation of the rumen gives a feeling of fullness but not hardness; body temperature and pulse are generally normal. A small number of acute cases may recover without treatment after fasting for 2-4 days, but most cases, if not treated promptly, will become chronic, with the affected cow progressively losing weight, cessation of lactation, deterioration of body condition, exhaustion, and inability to stand, leading to death.
Treatment: 1. Fast for 1-2 days, combined with rumen massage, to promote recovery of rumen function. 2. The purpose of drug treatment is to stimulate rumen motility (rumen stimulants), prevent abnormal fermentation (antifermentatives), eliminate pathogenic contents (purgatives), and promote recovery of appetite and rumination. 3. Rumen lavage plays an important role in treating this disease.
IV. Rumen Impaction
Rumen impaction is an acute disease of dairy cows, characterized by indigestion and the accumulation and fermentation of food masses in the rumen. Impaction caused by bean and grain concentrates often damages the central nervous system, resulting in dehydration and acidosis, ataxia, collapse, and so on. After excessive consumption of starch-rich and root-tuber feeds, certain Gram-positive bacteria in the rumen such as Streptococcus bovis break them down and produce large amounts of organic acids, inhibiting or even killing the ciliates that decompose and utilize cellulose and the microorganisms that utilize lactate, which is an important cause of the disease. After lactic acid in the rumen is absorbed, it leads to acidosis in the body, and the irritation of lactic acid on the rumen mucosa can cause chemical rumenitis. Acute cases develop symptoms within 12 hours after feeding; the initial symptom is mental excitement, with the cow kicking its abdomen with its hind legs due to abdominal pain. Subsequently, the cow becomes depressed, unwilling to move, has rapid breathing, often groans, completely stops eating, and drinks less water. In severe cases, the gait is staggering, walking is unsteady, vision is unclear, and obstacles are not avoided. When the course of disease extends beyond 48 hours, the affected cow often lies down and cannot stand, assuming a posture like post-partum paralysis, responds slowly to various stimuli, and enters a comatose state. Most have severe dehydration and acidosis symptoms, and if untreated, they may die within 72 hours.
Treatment: The methods for treating rumen atony can be used, including fasting and purgation, lavage to remove rumen contents combined with the use of rumen stimulants. Increase blood alkali reserve and reduce autogenous acidosis.