Effects of level and form of dietary zinc on dairy cow performance and health

2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 ◽  
pp. 101-101
Author(s):  
C. M. Atkin ◽  
A. M. Mackenzie ◽  
D. Wilde ◽  
L. A. Sinclair

It is well established that zinc is an essential micro-nutrient required to maintain health and performance in dairy cows (Underwood and Suttle, 2004). Cattle diets are traditionally supplemented with inorganic minerals (e.g. zinc oxide), but these may be poorly absorbed, resulting in an economic and environmental cost due to excess minerals being excreted. It is claimed organically bound minerals are able to resist interaction before and at the absorption site in the small intestine (Power, 2006), which may result in a lower dietary inclusion rate being required. The objective of the current experiment was to investigate the effect of an organically bound source of Zn as a replacement for inorganic Zn on dairy cow health and performance when supplemented at and below the recommended level.

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 85-85
Author(s):  
C Cope ◽  
A M Mackenzie ◽  
D Wilde ◽  
L A Sinclair

The teat canal in dairy cows is lined with keratin, which is considered to be a natural physical and chemical barrier involved in providing resistance to bacteria gaining entry into the mammary gland. Keratin is partially removed during milking therefore requiring regeneration. It has been estimated that a cow needs to regenerate 1.3 mg per teat between each milking to replace the amount lost (Capuco et al., 1992). Zinc is important in the process of keratinisation and previous studies have reported an 2.4 kg/d increase in milk yield when supplemented with Zn in an organic form at the recommended level and an increase in somatic cell counts (SCC) in cattle receiving 0.66 of the recommended level of dietary Zn (Atkin et al., 2007), although mechanisms for this observation are unclear. The objective of this study was to establish the effect of level and form of Zn (organically chelated (Bioplex ZnTM; Alltech Inc., Nicholasville, USA) vs. inorganic (ZnO)) and no supplemental Zn on dairy cow performance and keratin production in the teat canal.


2002 ◽  
Vol 2002 ◽  
pp. 92-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Kokkonen ◽  
J. Taponen ◽  
S. Alasuutari ◽  
M. Nousiainen ◽  
T. Anttila ◽  
...  

In ruminants plasma leptin is increased with increasing body fatness. Leptin acts on hypothalamus to decrease food intake and increase energy expenditure. It is possible that leptin has a key role in transition from pregnancy to lactation of dairy cows. The objective of the present work was to investigate the pattern of plasma leptin concentration, as well as its relationship with other hormones and metabolites and dairy cow performance.


Author(s):  
M.J. Gibb ◽  
W.E. Ivings ◽  
J.D. Sutton

In order to understand the complex changes associated with lactation in the dairy cow it is necessary to assess the contribution of the non-carcass components. It has been shown with sheep (Cowan, Robinson, Greenhalgh and McHattie, 1979) that a number of tissues may be mobilised during lactation with a redistribution of tissues particularly towards the gut and udder, and that diet may have a significant effect. Butler-Hogg, Wood and Bines (1985), using Friesian dairy cows showed changes in the weights of guts, internal fat depots (omental, mesenteric and perinephric) and liver with stage of lactation although the number of stages examined was somewhat limited. The present experiment investigates changes in non-carcass component weights at 9 points over the first 29 weeks of lactation and with 3 levels of concentrate supplementation.


Author(s):  
M.M. Abubakar ◽  
P. Rowlinson

The antibiotic Actaplanin is a complex of glycopeptide compounds produced by Actinoplanes missourrensis. When included in feed as a performance enhancer it has been shown to increase milk production of dairy cows (McGuffey et al. 1983). Actaplanin is associated with reduced proportions of acetate and increased proportions of propionate in rumen fluid and a depression in milk fat proportion may result (Clapperton et al. 1987). The aim of the trial reported here was to monitor the effects of feeding 960 mg Actaplanin/head/d to dairy cows throughout two successive lactations.


1999 ◽  
Vol 1999 ◽  
pp. 22-22
Author(s):  
R.L.G. Zom ◽  
E. Kamerman ◽  
G. Remmelink ◽  
G. van Duinkerken

The Dutch DVE/OEB protein evaluation system (Tamminga et al., 1994) gives predictions for the concentration of whole true protein digested in the small intestine (DVE) in cattle feeds, but not for the concentration of single amino acids. Therefore, new standard methods has been introduced for the prediction of true methionine and lysine digested in the small intestine (DVmet and DVlys, respectively) in cattle feeds based on the principles of the calculation of DVE (van Duinkerken and Blok, 1998). These methods give the opportunity to select particular feeds and concentrate ingredients in order to manipulate the concentration of DVmet and DVlys in diets and compound concentrates. However, in the Netherlands, there are no recommendations for DVmet and DVlys in dairy cow rations established yet. An experiment was therefore conducted to study the effects of feeding compound concentrate supplements with either a low (L) or high (H) level of DVmet on feed intake and milk production in dairy cows fed a grass and maize silage mixture ad libitum


2010 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 459-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Gianesella ◽  
Massimo Morgante ◽  
Calogero Stelletta ◽  
Licia Ravarotto ◽  
Elisabetta Giudice ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the rumenocentesis procedure on dairy cows by determining selected metabolic and physiological variables representing the health status. Two groups of 6 cows either underwent rumenocentesis (GA) or sham (GB) procedures. Superficial skin temperature of the rumenocentesis area was measured using infrared thermography before the procedure (-1 h), immediately after (0 h), and at 48 h, 96 h, and 20 days following rumenocentesis. Blood samples were collected at all times, except for immediately after the procedure (0 h), and selected immunologic response variables were determined. Milk yield and rectal temperatures were measured daily. Rumenocentesis did not influence the white blood cell count, haptoglobin or total protein concentrations. Electrophoretic protein fractions were not different between GA and GB treatments. Milk yield and rectal temperature were not affected by rumenocentesis. Skin temperature of the rumenocentesis region in GA group cows increased by 1.0 °C immediately after rumenocentesis and returned to baseline after 48 h where it remained constantly until the end of the study; similar to observation in GB group cows. Results of this study would suggest minimal adverse effects on cow health and production when performing rumenocentesis for the diagnosis of subacute ruminal acidosis. Additional more intensive studies addressing animal welfare issues relative to the diagnostic techniques are needed.


Author(s):  
A. Ordóñez ◽  
C. Matthew ◽  
R.D. Miller ◽  
T. Parkinson ◽  
C.W. Holmes ◽  
...  

This paper reports a field experiment and a farm survey, which aimed to find out if there is evidence that elevated herbage crude protein (CP):sugar levels have negative effects on dairy cow performance. Differences in herbage CP levels were induced by using nitrogen (+N) or withholding (-N) applied as fertiliser urea for two groups of 20 dairy cows in early lactation (August to November 2003). Cows fed urea-fertilised herbage had elevated milk urea levels (-N = 5.4 mmol/l, +N = 8.3 mmol/l, P


Author(s):  
A Cushnahan ◽  
C S Mayne

It is generally acknowledged that lactating dairy cows offered grass silage consume less dry matter (DM) and produce less milk with a lower protein concentration than cows offered fresh pasture. However, there is little evidence to indicate whether these effects are due to the influence of ensiling per se or to differences in herbage composition. The aims of the current experiment were to evaluate the effects of ensiling per se and silage fermentation pattern on forage intake and dairy cow performance.A perennial ryegrass sward (Lolium perenne cvs Barlenna and Talbot) was divided into 4 areas (A, B, C and D) comprising one area of 6.7 ha (area A) and three areas of 0.7 ha (areas B, C and D). Each area received a total of 361 kg N, 74 kg P2O5 and 144 kg K2O/ha over the season. From 1 June 1993, herbage was harvested once daily from areas B, C and D using a double chop forage harvester and offered to dairy cows housed indoors during weeks 1, 2 and 3 respectively (Treatment G).


1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 50-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.J. Sayers ◽  
C.S. Mayne

Previous studies (Mayne and Laidlaw 1995) have shown that early turnout of dairy cows to spring pasture for a few hours per day (extended grazing) reduces silage intake and increases animal performance relative to that of animals retained indoors. The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of grazing severity and/or degree of silage restriction during the indoor feeding period on the response to extended grazing.


Dairy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Dirk von Soosten ◽  
Ulrich Meyer ◽  
Gerhard Flachowsky ◽  
Sven Dänicke

The purpose of this review is to identify the main influencing factors related to dairy cow health as it impacts the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions considering known data presented in the literature. For this study, we define the emission intensity as CO2 equivalents per kilogram of milk. In dairy cows, a high dry matter (DM) intake (25 kg/d) leads to an higher absolute methane emission compared to a lower DM intake (10 kg/d). However, the emission intensity is decreased at a high performance level. The emissions caused by DM intake to cover the energy requirement for maintenance are distributed over a higher milk yield. Therefore, the emission intensity per kilogram of product is decreased for high-yielding animals with a high DM intake. Apart from that, animal diseases as well as poor environmental or nutritional conditions are responsible for a decreased DM intake and a compromised performance. As a result, animal diseases not only mean reduced productivity, but also increased emission intensity. The productive life-span of a dairy cow is closely related to animal health, and the impact on emission intensity is enormous. A model calculation shows that cows with five to eight lactations could have a reduced emission intensity of up to 40% compared to animals that have left the herd after their first lactation. This supports the general efforts to increase longevity of dairy cows by an improved health management including all measures to prevent diseases.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document