Many of the problems that show up in cows around calving time and during spring can be linked to nutrition and diet
Producers can do a better job of managing their cattle by getting in front of potential issues as cows transition from pregnancy to lactation.
“I think a good general recommendation is that prevention can really curb a lot of these diseases in terms of making sure (cattle are) on winter feeds that have been tested and rations that have been balanced, as well as on mineral programs to provide them with everything they need throughout the winter,” said Cody Creelman of Veterinary Agri-Health Services in Airdrie, Alta.
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“Know what your animal’s requirements are, what your risk levels are and actually taking a look at what you’re feeding them and making sure they’re getting everything they need.”
Creelman said common diseases that show up in cows around calving time and during spring include uterine prolapse, vaginal prolapse, retained placenta, metritis, general downer cows, milk fever, mastitis, grass tetany and calving-related injuries.
Many diseases can be linked to the cow’s nutrition and diet.
“In general inadequate nutrition is directly correlated with a decreased immune system. So when we’re talking about infectious diseases, things like metritis, which is an infection of the uterus, and mastitis, which is an infection of the mammary glands, those can absolutely happen in spite of poor nutrition,” he said.
“But good nutrition definitely helps keep that immune system fully charged and running properly.”
Calcium, phosphorous, potassium and magnesium are common micronutrients associated with the shift in balance when cows start secreting milk.
“We have this diet that is focused around forage that’s stored and then we have at the same time cows going and having their calves, shifting their energy balance and starting to lactate heavily. Part of what’s in the milk going towards those calves is a lot of those micronutrients. We’re dumping lots of calcium, magnesium, potassium and a bunch of other things all into that milk,” he said.
“At the same time we’re kind of changing those cows’ energy balance as well so they are almost in a negative energy balance perspective. They’re actually metabolizing a lot of their body stores, body fat to put that energy and protein into that milk as well.
“That’s what makes these cows susceptible to these nutritional disorders right at the time of calving and post partum during lactation.”
Creelman said an example is uterine prolapse, where the uterus is pushed outside the cow’s vagina after calving.
“A lot of times that’s related to low calcium because that cow is now putting a lot of calcium into her calf and into her milk and calcium is used for muscle contractions,” he said.
Milk fever or downer cow problems often occur when cows are low in calcium, magnesium or potassium resulting in generalized muscle weakness. They are unable to stand because of improper nutrient balance and require intravenous minerals.
While moving into new green grass in early spring is an ideal time for the calf, it can be an issue for the lactating cow.
Grass tetany or grass staggers is a metabolic disease involving a deficiency in magnesium. It occurs in mature cows after grazing on rapidly growing pastures.
“What will happen is cows will be turned out to a new stand of lush growing forage in the springtime and they have not been on a very robust free choice mineral program and they’re already going in borderline low in magnesium.”
Creelman said cows will lie down and be unable to get themselves up and may have seizures and go into a coma.
“They can even die from that so we have to go in there and move those animals off of that grass and get them on a more mature, not as fast growing stand of forage.”
Other solutions include water treatments, such as putting different magnesium compounds into water to boost the cow’s magnesium levels.
“So in some groups where I’ve got grass tetany cases or downed cows due to low magnesium, we put these animals on a high magnesium mineral throughout the winter time and then we don’t have these problems anymore,” he said.
Getting a young calf off to good start hinges on its mother’s health.
“Calves that are born from cows that are fed right and managed right will be strong and start their life right,” said Craig Dorin of Veterinary Agri-Health Services in Airdrie, Alta.
“Calves born from cows that aren’t fed right and aren’t managed right are more likely to either not get enough or not be able to do it because they were born weak to start with.”
