Areas to Evaluate when Troubleshooting and Resolving Nutritional Problems in Dairy Herds
Areas to Evaluate when Troubleshooting and Resolving Nutritional Problems in Dairy Herds
Often the formulated ration (and the nutritionist who formulated the ration) gets blamed when cows do not milk as well as expected or health issues arise in the herd. Most nutritional problems are often a combination of several factors that have changed which result in a decrease in milk production, growth or health problems. The formulated ration can be the problem, but other management-related factors can contribute to the problem. Often, changes in management practices are needed to resolve the problem. The following table highlights some of the areas that should be investigated to resolve some of the common problems seen in dairy herds.
Troubleshooting Nutrition Problems for the Dairy Herd
Nutritional Problem |
Areas to Investigate to Resolve Problem |
Cows not milking as well as expected |
|
Low butterfat content (less than 3.2% for Holsteins) |
|
Feet problems- Laminitis (other than hairy heel warts and foot rot) |
1. Evaluate ration fed and consumed by cows (Specifically look at NSC (starch) content of diet) 2. Evaluate diet consumed by cows for adequate amounts of effective fiber (chew factor to stimulate cud chewing) |
High MUN’s (Milk Urea Nitrogen content of milk) (MUN greater than 14 mg/dl) |
Evaluate the diet consumed by the cows (specifically protein fractions and NSC (starch) content) |
Diarrhea |
1. Is this a herd problem or does it affect individual cows? 2. Has their local veterinarian evaluated the health of these cows affected? (ie. Winter Dysentery, Salmonella, Johne’s Disease) 3. Evaluate specifications of ration actually consumed by cows 4. Ruminal Acidosis issues? |
Displaced abomasums (twisted stomaches) in mid-lactation cows |
1. Evaluate effective fiber of the diet consumed by the milking herd (length of time TMR mixed, amount of grain fed in 4 hr time period) 2. Evaluate amount of sorting by the cows 3. Evaluate macro-mineral (Calcium) content of the milking cow diet |
Displaced abomasums (twisted stomaches) in cows within 45 days after calving |
Evaluate transition of cows onto the milking cow ration as well as feeding management program 21 days prior to calving |
Milk fever in fresh cows |
Evaluate macromineral (potassium, sodium, sulfur, and chlorine – not calcium) content of diet fed 21 days prior to calving |
Retained placenta in fresh cows (cows do not clean after calving) |
Review mineral/vitamin feeding program during the dry period (ie. Selenium content as well as DCAD balance - potassium, sodium, chlorine, sulfur content of diet) |
Low body condition of cows less than 60 days in milk |
1. Evaluate transition into the milking herd 2. Evaluate dry cow and close-up dry cow programs (Are cows adjusted to the forages and increased grain amounts prior to calving?) 3. Evaluate feedbunk management for the milking herd to make sure adequate bunk space and feed is provided for pre-fresh and fresh cows to eat |
Dry cows losing weight |
Evaluate feeding program for dry cows– quality of forages being fed, pasture availability, heat stress, and amount of grain being fed relative to forage quality |
Calving problems in heifers |
1. Evaluate body condition of heifers prior to calving– Are they over conditioned? 2. Evaluate feeding program for heifers |
Heifers calving too small |
Evaluate feeding program for heifers–
|
Feet problems in first-calf heifers seen shortly after calving |
Evaluate heifer feeding problem to make sure heifers are getting a properly balanced diet |
Author: Donna Amaral-Phillips