Brolis HerdLine displays warnings for acute cases of health disorders in cows, which are attributed to rapid changes in milk. This feature enables dairy farmers to react quickly and prevent more significant losses.
How do we detect it?
We consider milk composition (fat, protein, and lactose content), fat-to-protein (F/P) ratio, temperature and daily yield. The “Acute” warning is displayed when some of these parameters exceed their respective thresholds.
Causes of acute cases
- Diet changes: rumen fermentation can be disrupted by sudden shifts in diet composition, such as introducing new types of feed or drastically altering the proportion of different nutrients in the diet, leading to acute milk fat depression (MFD).
- Stressful events: rumen function can be disrupted by acute stressors such as transportation, sudden changes in environmental conditions, or exposure to pathogens leading to temporary decreases in milk fat production.
- Toxicity: ingestion of toxic plants or contaminated feed can lead to acute digestive disturbances, including MFD, as the rumen microbes may be adversely affected.
- Metabolic disorders: acute metabolic disorders such as ruminal acidosis or ketosis can disrupt rumen function and metabolic pathways of a cow.
- Infectious diseases: dairy cows can be susceptible to a range of bacterial, viral and parasitic infections, such as mastitis, pneumonia, foot rot and metritis. These infections can be transmitted through contaminated environments, improper milking practices or other infected animals.
- Heat stress: dairy cows are susceptible to heat stress, especially in hot and humid climates. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can lead to dehydration, reduced feed intake, and metabolic imbalances can increase the risk of illness.
- Trauma: injuries from accidents can cause acute health problems, including wounds, fractures, and internal injuries.
- Environmental factors: poor housing conditions, overcrowding, inadequate ventilation, and exposure to harsh weather conditions can contribute to stress, increasing the risk of disease transmission among dairy cows.
Case on the farm: detection and treatment
On 6th of April, the Brolis in-line milk analyzer detected a significant increase in the F/P ratio and a decrease in milk yield. Shortly afterward, ketosis was detected, and treatment was immediately provided. Several days after the initial detection and the beginning of treatment, the cow’s health and milk yield gradually returned to the healthy zone.
