REDUCING METABOLIC DAIRY COWS DISEASES ICIDENCE BY USING ANIONIC SALTS

Abstract

The present research has followed the effects of the product Calving Care on the incidence of postpartum metabolic disorders in dairy cows, under intensive farming conditions. The research has been conducted at two dairy farms in Romania, on two groups of Holstein Friesian cows, consisting of ten cows each, in Close-up group. Experimental group 1(E), consisting of 10 cows, was administered 300g/cow/day of Calving Care anionic salt mixed in the Total Mixed Ration (TMR) 21 before calving. Control group 2(C), also consisting of 10 cows, was administered a similar structured TMR to the one administered to group 1, but without Calving Care. Both groups had the urine pH level determined before the beginning of the experiment, 48 hours after the experiment begun and again half way through the duration of the experiment. After calving some data have been determined for both groups: serum calcium and the incidence of postpartum metabolic disorders - hypocalcaemia, retained placenta, ketosis and left displaced abomasum (LDA). Using Calving Care anionic salt complex in group 1(E) generated a reduction urine pH from 8,3 to 6,4 within 48 hours, meaning 22,89%, and 6,5 ten days after the beginning of the experiment, meaning a 21,68% reduction. The mean urine pH level recorded for group 2(C) was 8,4 at the beginning of the experiment, 8,3 after 48 hours and 8,3 in the tenth day testing. Regarding the serum calcium level, all the cows in group 1(E) fell within the normal limits - 100%, whereas in case of group 2(C) 37,5% of the cows had the serum calcium level below normal limits, and 62,5% had the serum calcium level within physiological limits.

Keywords

• dry cows, Close-up, Dietary Cation-Anion Difference (DCAD), anionic salts, urine pH, serum calcium