Study on energy metabolism in dairy cows around parturition under field condition

Abstract

The most common diseases in high-producing dairy farms are metabolic disorders, and they have a tendency to occur together and are completely interrelated. Early lactation exposes the cow to numerous stressors, and the critical time is the transition period. At a time where dry matter intake and nutrient inputs are depressed, there is a sudden and high demand of nutrients required for milk production. By analysing the metabolic profile, sub clinical metabolic disorders can be revealed. These disorders have a strong influence on health status, milk production and herd performance, and are caused by malnutrition. Certain blood and urine components laboratory measurement were performed, which reflect the nutritional status of the animal regardless of clinical abnormalities. According to their lactational cycle, cows were selected randomly and assigned to four different groups. In case of body condition of the cows , since most of the close-up group were fat, the examination showed that some adjustments could be made. There were some problems with high AST values, and negative energy-balance was a feature in the fresh cow group. In addition many of the cows had low carotene levels, and protein surplus with high urea level. By making some on-farm adjustments, the result indicated that there were some metabolic parameters that might be improved.