Q. Why is this a top resource article? "Fresh cow diseases are a constant struggle and financial drain on a dairy. Preventing disease through proper management, and knowing how to correctly treat it, are powerful tools for a producer." —Dr. Vicky Lauer, Professional Services Veterinarian, Animart LLC If it’s not one thing, it’s another; and when it comes to fresh cow illnesses, it is likely to be a combination.
“All of these diseases are interrelated,” says Animart’s Professional Services Veterinarian Dr. Vicky Lauer. In a continuing education course for certified veterinary technicians, Lauer addressed how to identify, treat and prevent seven illnesses that are common after calving.
Click here to download a poster that outlines fresh cow illnesses and treatments.
Milk fever
Milk fever or hypocalcemia is the result of low blood calcium levels. It is more common in older cows and rarely seen in heifers, she said.
Symptoms: Down cow, cold, S-curve to the neck, muscle tremors, wobbly, dry nose, minimal rumination, dry feces, and rapid heart rate.
Treatment: Collect a blood sample beforehand in case the treatment doesn’t work. Give calcium intravenously or subcutaneously. While doing so, Lauer said to listen to the cow’s heart rate. If the cow’s heart skips a beat, slow down the flow of calcium. The return of moisture to the cow’s nose is a sign the treatment is working.
Prevention: Feed a negative DCAD diet in the dry period. Use pH strips to check urine pH. If the urine has a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 pre-calving, the diet is working.
Another option is to give oral calcium supplementation at calving. This can be in the form of a bolus, paste, gel or drench, but watch to make sure the supplement won’t be caustic and cause damage to the esophagus or the cows won’t want to eat, Lauer said.
The type of calcium used in the supplement matters. Calcium chloride provides an immediate release for rapid absorption. It is acidogenic and will cause a drop in pH. However, it is caustic in liquid form.
Calcium sulfate is also acidogenic, but has a sustained release.
Calcium propionate is quickly absorbed. It is fairly gentle on tissues and can be used as a liquid. Non-acidogenic, it will not help shift a cow to metabolize calcium, but it can be used as an energy source, Lauer said.
Calcium carbonate and calcium hydroxide/oxide are insoluble forms of calcium. Since they won’t breakdown in the cow, they are useless in treating milk fever. Lauer added that calcium lactate is also a useless solution, as it does not have an effect on blood calcium levels.
Repercussions: Decreased milk production and an increased risk of every other fresh cow disease. Without calcium, the cow’s uterus is unable to properly retract.
Uterine prolapse
This is often a secondary illness to milk fever in cows, Lauer said, unlike in heifers where it can happen on its own. Uterine prolapse is not hereditary – if it happens once, it is not going to happen with every calving.
Symptoms: When the uterus is expelled out behind the cow.
Treatment: A prolapsed uterus is an emergency and should be treated as such. Lauer recommended administering an epidural so the cow loses feeling and will not strain against you. Clean the uterus, removing the placenta, and then slowly push it back in as if you are kneading dough. Be careful not to rupture it. If the cow is down, Lauer said it helps to frog-leg her to use gravity as an advantage. If the cow is standing, see if someone can help by holding the rest of the uterus.
Once the uterus is inside the cow, make sure the horns are back in place or the cow will try to push it out again, she said.
Some people will suture the vagina closed, but Lauer said a cow could still prolapse around the sutures.
Give oxytocin to help shrink the uterus and follow-up with antibiotics because the uterus likely got dirty.
Repercussions: Metritis and decreased fertility.
Retained placenta
Retained placenta occurs when the fetal membranes do not pass after 24 hours post-calving. This is more common with dystocia, twins, premature calvings, abortions and induction of parturition. Causes can also be milk fever, stress, low selenium or vitamin E, and uterine prolapse.
Treatment: “There is a lot of debate about what to do for retained placenta,” Lauer said. “If you can give it a slight twist and it comes off, it is okay to pull it off, but yanking is not recommended. If you pull and everything is still attached, leave it alone.”
Oxytocin might help because it causes the uterus to contract. Prostaglandin will help if there is a case of pyometra or pus in the uterus.
Flushing the uterus is an option, but this can also let bacteria in. Some flush solutions include:
- Chlorhexidine –This has been found to cause uterine damage in horses.
- Iodine – This is the best option according to Lauer. It is safe, effective, seems to work, lessens the bacteria load, and there is no milk or meat withhold.
- UterFlush – This product also has no meat or milk withhold. There are no controlled studies yet on its effectiveness, she said.
- Oxytetracycline – Use of this product is controversial and debated. There is a milk and meat withhold, but most farms won’t hold as long as necessary. Plus it might cause uterine damage, Lauer mentioned.
Repercussions: Decreased fertility from a longer time open; decreased first conception and more breedings per conception; increased likelihood of metritis; decreased milk production; increased risk of ketosis and displaced abomasum; and tetanus.
Metritis
Often a sequel to retained placenta, metritis is inflammation of the uterus.
Symptoms: Increased size and thickness of the uterine wall; vaginal discharge that is reddish-brown, watery, malodorous (normal discharge is pinkish, mucousy and doesn’t smell); fever; decreased appetite; and decreased milk production.
Cows predisposed with dystocia, stillbirth, twins, retained placenta, milk fever and ketosis are more likely to have metritis.
Treatment: Bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa can grow within the uterus, which makes metritis challenging for treatment, Lauer said.
If the cow is running a fever and is malodorous, treat with systemic antibiotics. Excenel and Excede have no milk withhold, allowing cows to stay in their same pen; however, there is a meat withhold for each product. Polyflex can be used extra label if approved by a veterinarian and has both a milk and meat withhold. Oxytetracycline has a milk withhold and a long (28-day) meat withhold.
Anti-inflammatories should also be given if a fever is present, Lauer suggested. Aspirin works for no milk or meat withhold. If there is already a product withhold from other medicines, flunixin meglumine is an option.
Other treatments to consider would be oxytocin or prostaglandins to contract the uterus or a uterine flush product as mentioned with retrained placenta.
Prevention: Keep dry cows healthy and not overly conditioned. Minimize uterine contamination. Keep fresh cows eating; provide long-stemmed hay over TMR. “I don’t care what she eats, as long as she is eating,” Lauer said.
Mastitis
Mastitis is the inflammation of the mammary gland.
Symptoms: In subclinical mastitis, there will be an elevated somatic cell count. Clinical mastitis is evident with visibly abnormal milk and udder changes such as swelling, heat, redness and pain.
Toxic mastitis cases are when the cow is systemically ill. They could have a fever, a low temperature, loss of appetite, shock, be down or dead.
Gangrenous mastitis is present when there is gas in the teat. The cow will appear toxic, and when the teat is stripped, only air comes out. “If you don’t lose the cow, you will lose the quarter,” Lauer said.
Mastitis comes from contagious pathogens, including Staph aureus, Strep agalactiae, Corynebacterium bovis and mycoplasma, or environmental pathogens such as Strep spp., Staph spp., E. coli and Klebsiella.
Treatment: Begin by collecting a clean milk sample. For chronic subclinical cases, culling may be the best option, or keep the cow and use the milk for calves if pasteurizing. Try dry cow therapies with this group as well.
In clinical cases, antibiotics can work well for gram-positive pathogens. Gram-negative cases often self-cure. When dealing with mycoplasma, cull the cow, Lauer advised.
If the treatment is not working, have the original sample tested to determine another option.
Prevention: Good hygiene from stalls and udders to milkers and milking units. A good pre-dip and post-dip also help.
Ketosis
Decreased appetite pre- and post-partum results in negative energy balance and low blood glucose. Nervous ketosis occurs when the brain is low on glucose.
Symptoms: Decreased appetite with a preference for forage over grain, decreased milk production, lethargy, minimal rumen fill, increased or decreased rumination, dehydration and sunken eyes.
With nervous ketosis, the cow will abnormally lick things like urine or metal. Other symptoms include: weak, wobbly, head-pressing against a wall, acetone odor, down, really laid back or super aggressive.
A ketosis diagnosis can be done with test strips for urine, milk or blood.
Treatment: In subclinical cases, give 300 ml of propylene glycol orally once a day for five days. For a clinical case, give a dextrose IV to temporarily increase blood glucose levels and follow up with propylene glycol for a more sustained increase. Steroids have also been found to help ramp up glucose production in the liver, Lauer said.
Prevention: Keep dry cows in appropriate body condition. Keep them eating with long-stemmed hay for rumen fill. Feed additives, such as rumen-protected choline, calcium propionate (not to prefresh cows as they’ll become dependent) or monensin, can also help.
Repercussions: Decreased milk production throughout lactation; decreased pregnancy rate; increased risk of displaced abomasum, mastitis, metritis and ovarian cysts.
Displaced abomasum
A left displaced abomasum is more common than right. Decreased appetite leads to decreased rumen fill. With less feed, the abomasum fills with air. The air causes it to move to the left side or twist on itself.
Cows are predisposed to displaced abomasum from metritis, ketosis, milk fever, mastitis, being overweight, anything that causes decreased appetite, or a high concentrate and low roughage diet.
Symptoms: Decreased appetite, decreased milk production, a “sprung” last rib on the left (raised compared to others), decreased rumen contraction and fill, decreased fecal passage, “ping” sound heard with stethoscope, fluid splashing.
Treatment: Correct abomasum placement through surgery, roll and toggle, or roll and tack. Treat secondary ketosis that occurs by giving fluids and antibiotics (if following surgery).
Prevention: Don’t over condition dry cows; keep them eating with long-stemmed hay for rumen fill; prevent ketosis.
One fresh cow illness is likely to lead to another. Prevention with good dry cow management can go a long ways, as well as proper identification and treatment if one or more of these diseases should occur. PD
PHOTO: Illustration by Corey Lewis.
