Monitoring for Transition Cow Issues Todd Duffield, DVM, DVSc [email protected].

Monitoring for Transition Cow Issues

Todd Duffield, DVM, [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Monitoring for Transition Cow Issues

• What are the Issues ?• How do we find them ?• Do they matter ?• What can we do about them ?

FOCUS ON ENERGY METABOLISM

What are the Major Transition Cow Issues?

Goals

Calve without problems

Avoid disease

Make lots of milk

Get pregnant by 120 DIM

Impediments

RP

Dystocia

Metritis

Ketosis

DA

Mastitis

Rumen acidosis

Lameness

Endometritis

Anestrus

Insemination

Severity, timing,and duration of

negative energy balance

HypocalcemiaImmune function

Cow environment

Feed intake

Ways to gain insight into the success of the processClinical disease

Production Measure DMIBCSUnderstanding cow experienceFeed access

Lying timeHousing design

NEFA, BHBA, etc

Time for transitions• Development of

lactation in mammary gland ~ 3 weeks

• Rumen microflora adaptation ~ 10 – 14 days

• Altering metabolic set-point ~ 6 weeks (?)

• Social adjustment to new group 2 d to 1 week

Monitoring Transition Cow Issues

• What are the Issues ?• How do we find them ?

Disease Incidence 2006 NA Study (Carson, 2008)

Northeast

n=650Midwest

n=570Southeast

n=465West n=668 Total

Milk Fever 2% 3.3% 2.0% 2.5% 2.5%

Ketosis 6.0% 10.5% 6.4% 15.3% 9.6%

RP 5.2% 7.9% 7.9% 9.4% 7.6%

Metritis 5.7% 6.3% 19.5% 34.5% 16.5%

DA 4.5% 5.1% 4.6% 0.5% 3.7%

Problems with Clinical Disease?

• Frequently Poorly Recorded

• Disease Definitions not Standardized

• “After the Fact” in an Ideal Monitoring Program

• Probably LESS Sensitive than Metabolic “Subclinical” Tests

Clinical ketosis treatment rate is a poor estimate of ketosis

0

20

40

60

80

Herd

% S

ub

clin

ical

Ket

osi

s

012345678910

% C

lin

ical

Ket

osi

s In

cid

ence

SCK 1400 BHBA Clinical Ketosis

(Duffield et al 1998)

What about Milk Components?

• Subclinical Ketosis Associated with:– ↓ Milk protein %– ↑ Milk fat %At First DHI test postcalving

But…• Best test is PFR ≤ 0.75

– Sensitivity: 58%– Specificity: 69%

BOTTOMLINE: The test is CRAP.

Summary of Herd Level Tests for Identifying High Risk Herds for

SCK1. Subclinical Ketosis in 20% of Herd

at 1st of 2nd week postcalving

2. DA Incidence 5.0 %

3. 40% of Herd with Low PFR (< 0.75)[or approximately 0.70 in true protein system]

4. > 10 % of Herd Fat Precalving (BCS 4.0)

REQUIRES EXTERNAL VALIDATION: Only based on 25 Herds in SW Ontario

What about DMI?

• Precalving DMI a good predictor of SCK postcalving.

• U of G research:– < 12 kg DMI in last 3 weeks

= 6X Increased Risk of SCK.

• Problems– Getting it Measured– Demographics in Group

• Heifers• Lot’s close to calving

Frequency Distribution of DMI for 160 Holstein Cow and Heifers

during Last 3 Weeks Precalving

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Number of Occurrences

Kg

DMI

IndividualGOAL

2 S.D’s

1 S.D16.5% lower

Mean50% lower

Group Target

Typical patterns of DMI and NEFA

Overton/Burhans, 2001

Serum/Blood Metabolic TestsWhat Does Work?

• Energy Monitors in Transition Cows:– Precalving – NEFA– Postcalving – BHBA

• Calcium status within a few days of calving– hypocalcemia

• Haptoglobin– inflammation

• DO NOT USE AVERAGES – looking for EXCEPTIONS –Therefore % above or below a cutpoint for group interpretation

Focus ofTalk

↓ Ca, ↑ Culling risk but need more research

Non-specific but associated with metritis, need more data

J.M. Gay

The “Iceberg” Concept


• What are the Issues ?• How do we find them ?• Do they matter ?


Investigating or Monitoring Energy Metabolism in Transition Cows

• PreCalving - NEFA

• PostCalving - Ketones

Relationship between Precalving DMI and

serum NEFA

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2

NEFA (U/L)

DM

I (k

g)

DMI

R2 = 0.29

Prepartum NEFA cutpoints for predicting postpartum SCK

0.6

NEFA

(mmol/L)n P-

valueOR

0.7 17 0.04 4.8

27 0.10 3.0

0.5 46 0.56 1.4

0.4 68 0.51 1.4

Osborne, 2003

Increased Pre-Partum NEFA Associated with:

↑ risk of LDA(Cameron et al, 1998; LeBlanc et al, 2005, Carson, 2008; Ospina et al, 2010)

↑ risk of RP and/or Metritis(Dyk, 1995; Carson, 2008; Quiroz-Rocha et al, 2009;Ospina et al, 2010)

↑ risk of ketosis(Osborne, 2003; Gooijer et al, 2004; Ospina et al, 2010)

↑ risk of early culling(Duffield et al, 2006)

↓ milk yield(Carson, 2008; Ospina et al, 2010)

↓ Pregnancy Risk(Ospina et al, 2010)

Cow-Level Associations of Pre-calving NEFA (mmol/L) with Disease/Production Outcomes

Weeks relative

to Calving

Author, Year Cut-point Outcome Impact P-Value

-1 Carson, 2008 0.3 Retained Placenta OR = 1.8 <0.001

-1Quiroz-Rocha, 2007 0.4 Retained Placenta OR = 1.2 <0.01

-1 Carson, 2008 0.3 Metritis OR = 1.8 <0.001-1 Carson, 2008 0.5 Displaced Abomasum OR = 2.4 <0.001-1 Leblanc, 2005 0.5 Displaced Abomasum OR = 3.6 <0.001-2 Ospina, 2010 0.3 DA, CK, Metritis OR > 1.8 <0.01-1 Carson, 2008 0.5 Milk Yield ↓ 1.6 kg/d 0.02-2 Ospina, 2010 0.3 Milk Yield ↓ 2.2 kg/d <0.01-1 Carson, 2008 0.3 1st Test LS ↑ 0.24 0.03-2 Ospina, 2010 0.3 Pregnancy Risk ↓ 18% <0.01

Days from calving

-20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10

Se

ru

m N

EF

A (

mE

q/L

)

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

Cows without DA (n = 1078)Cows with DA (n = 53)

LeBlanc et al, 2005

Precalving NEFA and Subsequent DHI Milk Yield

Carson, 2008

0 1 2 3 4 532

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41NEFA <0.5NEFA ≥0.5

DHI Test Number

Milk

Yie

ld (k

g/da

y)

Investigating or Monitoring Energy Metabolism in Transition Cows

• PreCalving - NEFA

• PostCalving - Ketones

Summary of Objective Serum BHBA Thresholds for

HyperketonaemiaThreshold Measure Risk Author

umol/L mg/dL

1200 12 LDA 8X LeBlanc

1400 14 LDA 3X Geishauser

1200 12 LDA/Ketosis 3X Duffield

1000 10 LDA/Ketosis/Metritis 2X Ospina

1400 12 Repro (CR) 40% Walsh

1400 14 Repro (CR) 55% Whitaker

1000 10 Repro (Pregnancy risk)

13% Ospina

1400 14 Culling 2X Duffield

1400 14 Milk Loss 1.9 kg Duffield

1000 10 Milk Loss 1.3 kg OspinaNOTES: 1. Minimum Threshold = 1000 umol/L BHBA

2. Effect Increases with increasing BHBA concentration.3. Optimum Cutpoint 1000 to 1400 umol/L BHBA

When Do I Test?

02468

101214161820222426

-3 0 3 6 9

Weeks from Calving

% Subclinical Ketosis

MonensinPlacebo

Weeks: 1, 2, +/- 3 PostcalvingFrequency: every 1 to 2 weeksWho: ALL cows and 1st lactation heifers

Cow-side tests for ketosis(relative to serum BHB ≥1400 µmol/L)

MilkKeto-Test• 100 µmol/L

– Sensitivity = 83%– Specificity = 82%

• 200 µmol/L– Sensitivity = 54%– Specificity = 94%

Oetzel, 2004

• Cost = $2/test• Powder lacks

sensitivity

The ONLY reliable milk ketone test





Oetzel, 2004


sensitivity

UrineKetostix

(read at 5 seconds)• “small” (15µmol/L)


Carrier et al, 2004

• Cost = $0.25/test• Acetest tablet lacks

specificity

The ONLY reliable

urine ketone test





Oetzel, 2004


sensitivity

UrineKetostix

(read at 5 seconds)• “small” (15µmol/L)


Carrier et al, 2004

• Cost = $0.25/test• Acetest tablet lacks

specificity

Blood

Precision XTRA BHBA

• Sensitivity = 87-93%• Specificity = 93-100%

Heuweiser,2007Oetzel, 2008

Burke,2008

• Cost = $2/test

Precision XTRA:- Highly Accurate test- Like having the Lab in your Hand!

How do you know where you are

unless you look?

Keto-Test Monitoring Program Results

0

20

40

60

80

100

Febru

ary

Mar

chApril

May

Jun-J

uly

Test Number

Prevalence

Herd Monitoring Example – 100 Cow Freestall

1 SD

Goal

2 SD

3 SD

Keto-Test Monitoring Program Results

0

20

40

60

80

100

Febru

ary

Mar

chApril

May

July

August

Septe

mber

Octo

ber

Decem

ber

Month

Prevalence

Herd Monitoring Example – 100 Cow Freestall

1 SD

Goal

2 SD

3 SD

2 DA’s, 4 RP’s

What Do I Do With the Data?

A. MonitoringB. Problem Investigation

1. Group Interpretation - HERD LEVEL

– Identify/Dx problems and make changes prior to major losses

– Proactive rather than Reactive (if monitoring)

2. Individual Interpretation- INDIVIDUAL LEVEL

– Early treatment may ward off Clinical Disease

Purpose of Data Gathering

Level of Interpretation

Prevention

Treatment

Case Example 1A- Individual

• 80 Milking Cows in a Tiestall– Owner starts a weekly Keto-Test

monitoring program 1st week of September

• Tests all cows 3 weeks fresh Tuesday mornings

– Week 1: 0/6– Week 2: 0/5– Week 3: 1 / 4

• Owner calls because +ve Cow has a PING– I go – It’s an LDA– Farmer didn’t know she had a problem until he

tested!

Case Example 1B- Herd

• 80 Milking Cows in a Tiestall– Owner starts a weekly Keto-Test

monitoring program 1st week of September

• Tests all cows 3 weeks fresh Tuesday mornings

– Week 1: 0/6– Week 2: 0/5– Week 3: 1 / 4– Week 4: 0/5– Week 5: 1/6– Week 6: 1/8– Week 7: 7/10

Now What?

Herd Example 1B

• Change was Real– Testing was being done correctly

• Of the 7 +ve:– 1 was 500 umol/L– 3 were 200 umol/L– 3 were 100 umol/L

– CUD cows eating well– Changed to higher fiber, lower energy

Baleage– All cases were > 11 DIM

What’s Normal?

Cutpoints Used for Herd-Level Analysis – based on 2006 study

Parameter

Time Relative to Calving

Cutpoint Median Herd Prevalence

SUGGESTED HERD GOAL

NEFA - 1 Week Pre 0.5 mmol/L 25% < 3/12

+1 Week Post

1.0 mmol/L 20% < 2/12

BHBA +1 Week Post

1400 umol/L

15% < 2/12

High Risk Herds set at or above Median Herd Prevalence

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 Herd

High Pre-Calving NEFA

High Risk Herds

Low Risk Herds

Validated* Herd-Alarm Levels

(Ospina et al, 2010)Time Relative to Calving

Parameter Cutpoint Alarm Level Prevalence

Mean Proportion of Herds Above Alarm Level

Prepartum NEFA (mEq/L)

≥ 0.3 15% 75%

Postpartum NEFA (mEq/L)

≥ 0.7 15% 65%

Postpartum BHBA (mg/dL)

≥ 12 15% 40%

*Alarm levels associated with:• ↑risk of DA & CK, ↓Pregnancy Rate, and ↓Milk Yield at the Herd-Level

Weekly prevalence of Subclinical Ketosis in Four

Large New York Dairies

14/04/2

010

23/04/2

010

02/05/2

010

11/05/2

010

20/05/2

010

29/05/2

010

07/06/2

010

16/06/2

010

25/06/2

010

04/07/2

010

13/07/2

010

22/07/2

010

31/07/2

010

09/08/2

010

18/08/2

010

27/08/2

010

05/09/2

010

14/09/2

010

23/09/2

010

02/10/2

010

11/10/2

010

20/10/2

010

29/10/2

010

07/11/2

010

16/11/2

010

25/11/2

010

04/12/2

010

13/12/2

010

22/12/2

010

31/12/2

010

09/01/2

011

18/01/2

011

27/01/2

011

-10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Herd LHerd E

Using Precision Xtra BHBA ≥ 1.3 mmol/L(13 mg/dL)

Weekly prevalence of Subclinical Ketosis in Four

Large New York Dairies

14/04/2

010

23/04/2

010

02/05/2

010

11/05/2

010

20/05/2

010

29/05/2

010

07/06/2

010

16/06/2

010

25/06/2

010

04/07/2

010

13/07/2

010

22/07/2

010

31/07/2

010

09/08/2

010

18/08/2

010

27/08/2

010

05/09/2

010

14/09/2

010

23/09/2

010

02/10/2

010

11/10/2

010

20/10/2

010

29/10/2

010

07/11/2

010

16/11/2

010

25/11/2

010

04/12/2

010

13/12/2

010

22/12/2

010

31/12/2

010

09/01/2

011

18/01/2

011

27/01/2

0110%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Herd LHerd EHerd DHerd S


• What are the Issues ?• How do we find them ?• Do they matter ?• What can we do about them ?


1. MONITOR

– Need to Know Where You Are– Need to Detect Change

Transition Cow IssuesKey Prevention Strategies

Cutpoints Used for Herd-Level Analysis

Parameter

Time Relative to Calving

Cutpoint Median Herd Prevalence

HERD GOAL

NEFA - 1 Week Pre 0.5 mmol/L 25% < 3/12

+1 Week Post

1.0 mmol/L 20% < 2/12

BHBA +1 Week Post

1400 umol/L

15% < 2/12

High Risk Herds set at or above Median Herd Prevalence

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 Herd

High Pre-Calving NEFA

High Risk Herds

Low Risk Herds

Variables Associated with High Risk Herds

Variable Odds Ratio’s (p-value) for High Risk Herds Classified by:

> 25% Wk -1 NEFA ≥ 0.5

> 20% Wk +1 NEFA ≥1.0

> 15% Wk +1 BHBA ≥ 1.4

Wreck (All 3 categories)

Fresh Group 6.0 (P=0.03)

4.3 (P=0.04)

9.0 (P=0.01)

3 Transition Rations

0.17 (P=0.04)

Heifers and Cows mixed in Close-up Group

5.0 (0.07) 9.0 (0.05) --- data too sparse---

Anionic diet fed to Close-ups

0.21 (0.02) 0.22 (P=0.02)

0.16 (P=0.03)

Cows calve in Maternity pens

3.7 (0.04)

= “Social Stress”

Relationship Between Mean Herd Precalving NEFA and Close-up Diet NDF

R2 = 0.30

20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

NEFA versus NDFLinear (NEFA versus NDF)

NDF %

NEF

A (m

mol

/L)

High NDF Limits Intake

Relationship Between Mean Herd Precalving NEFA and Close-up Diet NDF

R2 = 0.30

High NDF Limits Intake

20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 35.0% 40.0% 45.0% 50.0% 55.0% 60.0% 65.0%0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

StrawNo Straw

NDF %

NEF

A (m

mol

/L)

1. MONITOR2. MANAGEMENT



1. MONITOR2. MANAGEMENT 3. MANAGEMENT

1. MONITOR2. MANAGEMENT 3. MANAGEMENT4. MANAGEMENT

Dry Matter Intake


Failure to ALLOW cows to eatis an International problem

Australia

Canada

Mexico

1. MONITOR 2. MANAGEMENT3. MANAGEMENT4. MANAGEMENT

5. Feed Additives1. Rumensin2. Propylene Glycol3. Rumen protected choline4. Yeast5. Others?


Definitely Maybe – Temporary Fix Selected Use – Fat Cows Transition Cows Benefit? Efficacy / Economics?

↑ Dry Matter Intake

A Poor Transition Matters:1. Reduced Health2. Lost production3. Impaired Reproduction4. Risk of Culling

LOOK! To see where you are MONITOR

CONCLUSIONSTRANSITION COW ISSUES

1. MONITOR

ENERGY METABOLISM :

- Precalving: Need to use NEFA - Need a Cowside NEFA test to improve practicality

- Postcalving: Choose a KETONE test that suits you.

CONCLUSIONSTRANSITION COW ISSUESKey Prevention Strategies



DMI ↑ =

Social Stress ↓Feed Quality ↑BCS ↓Feed Access ↑


5. Feed Additives ?-use the ones withproven Science.


DMI ↑ =

Social Stress ↓Feed Quality ↑BCS ↓Feed Access ↑

Questions? or

Discussion

Monitoring for Transition Cow Issues Todd Duffield, DVM, DVSc [email protected].

Documents

Transcript of Monitoring for Transition Cow Issues Todd Duffield, DVM, DVSc [email protected].