A5 Q2 Torch Summer Magazine 2024 - Flipbook - Page 25
Milk fever Preven琀椀on
Cows at risk may include; fat cows, thin cows, old cows, twin bearing cows, or
those whose management is sub op琀椀mal (eg 琀椀mes when the dry cow pen is overcrowded.
• Provide Magnesium to aid Calcium absorp琀椀on
• Kickstart the cow’s natural Calcium scavenging mechanisms with DCAB or
Calcium restric琀椀on.
• bility to absorb calcium: When a cow needs extra calcium she undergoes hormonal changes that lead to mobilisa琀椀on of calcium from bones, extra absorp琀椀on from the gut and reduced excre琀椀on from the kidneys. This mechanism
can be switched on by inducing a mild metabolic acidosis with diet, to achieve
this we minimimise strong ca琀椀ons (Sodium and Potassium) and/or include extra anionic salts (Chloride and Sulphate). Some herds will use a calcium binder
(zeolite) for two weeks pre calving to cause these calcium scavenging mecha• Provide plenty of calcium immediately post calving; cows need to go onto
the milking ra琀椀on as soon as possible post calving. If a cow is at high risk of
milk fever then oral calcium supplements (bolus or drenches) can be used to
maintain levels. In a cow that is not recumbent then these are more e昀昀ec琀椀ve.
Liver Support
What does the liver do?
Your cow’s liver is responsible for many parts of the daily func琀椀on of her life.
Energy metabolism
The liver plays a vital role in crea琀椀ng energy resources from fat supplies
Bile produc琀椀on
Bile is essen琀椀al to help the cow digest food in her intes琀椀nes – improper bile
func琀椀on will lead to poor diges琀椀on and ul琀椀mately scour.
Immune support
The liver supports the metabolism of vitamins which are vital to suppor琀椀ng the
immune system. When these fail to work properly, it will leave your cow vulnerable to infec琀椀ons commonly seen a昀琀er calving such as mas琀椀琀椀s or metri琀椀s.
Removal of ammonia from the blood stream
Ammonia is a toxic byproduct of protein metabolism – it is vital the liver can
operate to op琀椀mal capacity to allow removal of this toxic byproduct.
What happened in the liver a昀琀er calving?
A昀琀er your dairy cow calves and enters lacta琀椀on, she undergoes a huge challenge
for energy.She will inevitably go into an unavoidable nega琀椀ve energy balance
which means she burnsher own fat to create energy.
The liver is an important part of this metabolic process as this is where the fat gets
burnt to create energy. If the cow’s liver becomes overwhelmed by the amount of
fat being mobilised, then she can go into the fa琀琀y liver state.
If the liver is not func琀椀oning properly, it doesn’t ma琀琀er how much energy drench
and food we put into the cow because a malfunc琀椀onal liver will not be able to
process the energy demands.
Its easier to think of the liver as a car’s engine and your magic drenches and
cows food as the cars fuel – if the engine isn’t running right, it doesn’t ma琀琀er
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how much fuel you put in, the car simply won’t go!!
