Milk yield and survival of Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle after laparoscopic correction of left-displaced abomasum

Global losses due to dairy cattle diseases: A comorbidity-adjusted economic analysis

An economic simulation was carried out over 183 milk-producing countries to estimate the global economic impacts of 12 dairy cattle diseases and health conditions: mastitis (subclinical and clinical), lameness, paratuberculosis (Johne's disease), displaced abomasum, dystocia, metritis, milk fever, ovarian cysts, retained placenta, and ketosis (subclinical and clinical). Estimates of disease impacts on milk yield, fertility, and culling were collected from the literature, standardized, meta-analyzed using a variety of methods ranging from simple averaging to random-effects models, and adjusted for comorbidities to prevent overestimation. These comorbidity-adjusted disease impacts were then combined with a set of country-level lactational incidence and/or prevalence estimates, herd characteristics, and price estimates within a series of Monte Carlo simulations that estimated and valued the economic losses due to these diseases. It was estimated that total annual global losses are USD 65 billion (B). Subclinical ketosis, clinical mastitis, and subclinical mastitis were the costliest diseases modeled, resulting in mean annual global losses of approximately USD 18B, USD 13B, and USD 9B, respectively. Estimated global annual losses due to clinical ketosis, displaced abomasum, dystocia, lameness, metritis, milk fever, ovarian cysts, paratuberculosis, and retained placenta were estimated to be USD 0.2B, 0.6B, 0.6B, 6B, 5B, 0.6B, 4B, 4B, and 3B, respectively. Without adjustment for comorbidities, when statistical associations between diseases were disregarded, mean aggregate global losses would have been overestimated by 45%. Although annual losses were greatest in India (USD 12B), the USA (USD 8B), and China (USD 5B), depending on the measure of losses used (losses as a percent of GDP, losses per capita, losses as a percent of gross milk revenue), the relative economic burden of these dairy cattle diseases across countries varied markedly.

The role of endoscopy in bovine internal medicine - A review of current indication fields

Endoscopy in bovine internal medicine has come a long way from the first profound research papers in the 1980s to its present-day use. This paper reviews the progress in the 2000s and identifies the main application fields for diagnostic and therapeutic use. Inclusion criteria for scientific papers and reports encompassed focus on endoscopic examination techniques in cattle in the field of internal medicine and publication in a peer reviewed journal (case report/review/original research paper/short communication). Only papers written in English or German language were considered. Studies on laparoscopy, theloscopy, and bronchoscopy show that endoscopic approaches often enable more rapid and accurate diagnosis and treatment options for single diseased animals as well as on a herd level. Oesophagoscopy, rumenoscopy, cystoscopy and thoracoscopy have also been increasingly studied and proven to be safe and effective tools with some limitations in diagnosing and/or treating various diseases in cattle. Scientific approaches explored the epidural space in cattle and comparison of different endoscope systems lead to recommendations for sinuscopy. Yet, this narrative literature review clearly shows that unlike in human medicine, where endoscopy as a minimally invasive technique is used for countless routine procedures every day, there is still some catching up to do in bovine medicine even though the potential of endoscopy in this field has been documented.

One-step laparoscopy-guided abomasopexy versus omentopexy via right flank laparotomy to treat left displaced abomasum in dairy cows, in relation to return of milk yield

This study compared two surgical techniques for treating left displaced abomasum (LDA) in dairy cows. The two techniques were compared in terms of milk production at different time intervals: before surgery; on the day of the surgery; and at 8, 15 and 30 days after surgery. The surgical techniques used in this study were laparoscopy-guided abomasopexy and right flank laparotomy omentopexy. A total of 126 lactating Holstein-Friesian cows with LDA were included, 63 of which were treated with laparoscopy, and 63 with right flank laparotomy. Cows with retained foetal membranes, metritis or natural delivery (dystocia) were included and registered on field sheets for subsequent statistical analysis. Cows with clinical mastitis were excluded. A blood sample (5 mL) was obtained from the medial coccygeal vein and analyzed for total proteins, total bilirubin, total calcium, glucose, b-hydroxybutyrate, sodium, potassium, and chloride. No differences were found between the two groups of operated cows with respect to the number of lactation days, body condition score (BCS), rectal temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate before surgery. No differences were observed between groups regarding the biochemical parameters (P > 0.05) analyzed, except for chloride, which presented lower average values in the omentopexy group (P <0.05). Return of milk yield within the study period did not differ significantly between the laparoscopy and laparotomy groups (P > 0.05), although a significant change in post-surgery time was observed. .

One-Step Laparoscopic Abomasopexy for Left Displacements of the Abomasum in Pregnant Cattle: A Retrospective Study

Although technical descriptions have been published, the applicability of left-flank laparoscopy for the surgical correction of left displacement of the abomasum (LDA) in pregnant cattle has not yet been fully assessed. This study aimed to investigate the postoperative performance of one-step laparoscopic abomasopexy for the correction of LDA during late pregnancy. Fifteen pregnant Holstein cattle with LDA were treated with one-step laparoscopic abomasopexy between days 259 and 274 of gestation. This technique was performed in a standing position. Under endoscopic observation via trocars introduced from the left flank, the animals underwent a surgical procedure to place the bar part of a toggle-pin-suture (TPS) device into the lumen of the abomasum through a long cannula. A suture of a TPS device was secured to the ventral abdominal wall by using a long applicator. No cases experienced postoperative complications, and all had a normal delivery on postoperative day 17.4 ± 4.9. Three of the 15 animals exhibited foot diseases and mastitis after calving. The reproductive performance was recorded during lactation periods, showing a service conception rate of 2.9 ± 1.2 and 110.5 ± 39.1 open days. The one-year survival rate was 60% (9/15). The positive postoperative results demonstrate the benefits of one-step laparoscopic abomasopexy in pregnant bovine cases with LDA.

Retrospective Evaluation of Method of Treatment, Laboratory Findings, and Concurrent Diseases in Dairy Cattle Diagnosed with Left Displacement of the Abomasum during Time of Hospitalization

Left displacement of the abomasum (LDA) is a disease often diagnosed in high-producing dairy cattle, resulting in direct and in indirect costs for the farmer, and discomfort and death for the cows. For the present retrospective study, the aims were to assess the effect of treatment on recovery during the time of hospitalization of the cows, to investigate the influence of concurrent diseases on the recovery, and to identify prognostic indicators in laboratory findings. Metritis/endometritis (38.4% of cows) was the concurrent disease diagnosed most often. Conservative treatment (abomasal rolling) was performed successfully in 92.8% of cows; the recurrence rate was 56.7%. Neither treatment with an oral drench nor treatment with analgesics had any influence on the recurrence of LDA following abomasal rolling during hospitalization. Endoscopic abomasopexy as described by Janowitz was performed more often than right flank laparotomy (40.8% and 40.2%, respectively). A significantly (p < 0.01) higher number of cows had the outcome “recovery” compared with “death”. The results of this study show that the outcome after surgery for LDA under clinical conditions does not depend on the method of surgery. Moreover, cows with LDA often suffer from concurrent diseases. If conservative treatment is decided on, farmers should be informed that there is a high recurrence rate, and other treatment options should be discussed.

Effect of xylazine administration before laparoscopic abomasopexy to correct left displaced abomasum on markers of stress in dairy cows

Left displacement of the abomasum in dairy cows is a disease diagnosed all over the world. In Germany, a common method for its correction is laparoscopic abomasopexy (LA). The aim of the study was to assess cortisol and substance P concentrations, behavioral patterns, and feeding and rumination times during and after LA in cattle treated with xylazine before LA compared with nonsedated cattle. A total of 28 cattle that had been referred to a veterinary teaching hospital with a diagnosis of left displacement of the abomasum were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups. Surgery was performed according to a standardized protocol. Animals of XYL (n = 14) received xylazine (0.02 mg/kg body weight i.v.) before surgery, and animals of CON (n = 14) received a placebo (0.9% saline i.v.). All cows received ketoprofen (3 mg/kg body weight i.v.) twice, and benzyl penicillin procaine (20,000 IU/kg body weight i.m.) for 5 ± 1 d. Blood samples for the determination of plasma cortisol concentration (PCC) and plasma substance P concentration were taken 3 h before surgery (+00:00), at 1100 h (+03:00), 1115 h (+03:15, skin incision), 1130 h (+03:30), 1145 h (+03:45, dorsal recumbency), 1200 h (+04:00, end of surgery), 1230 h (+04:30), 1300 h (+05:00), 1400 h (+06:00), and 1100 h (+27:00) the following day. Behavior was assessed on the day of surgery and the following day (0800, 1300, and 1700 h), and during surgery. Feeding and rumination time were recorded for 24 h after surgery. Data analysis was done using R (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria). The LA was performed in all animals without negative effects. The PCC was lower in XYL than in CON at all times and significantly lower at +03:30. In CON, PCC was significantly higher at +03:45, +04:00, and +04:30 compared with +03:00. In XYL, PCC was significantly lower at +03:15 and +03:30 compared with +03:00, and significantly higher at +04:00 and +04:30. Plasma substance P concentration did not differ between groups. No differences were observed in behavior between CON and XYL. Feeding and rumination times did not differ between groups. Animals in XYL showed significantly more chews per bolus after surgery than animals in CON. In conclusion, administration of xylazine before LA results in lower stress levels for cattle during the course of LA, especially before being put into lateral and dorsal recumbency. Therefore, in the opinion of the authors, xylazine administration can be recommended before LA to improve the well-being of the animals during and after surgery.

Evaluation of Oxidative Stress in Dairy Cows with Left Displacement of Abomasum

Simple Summary

The present study evaluated oxidative and antioxidant status in dairy cows with Left Displacement of the Abomasum (LDA), an economically important postpartum disease in cattle. The oxidant capacity of plasma measured with a test fo reactive oxygen metabolites, the d-ROMs test, was significantly higher and the plasma biological antioxidant potential (BAP), measured with the BAP test was lower in the LDA group compared with the control group. Oxidative status was assessed using an arbitrary index obtained from the ratio between d-ROMs and BAP and the results showed that cows with LDA experience an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants.

Abstract

Left Displacement of the Abomasum (LDA) is a condition that occurs in high-producing postpartum dairy cows and it causes economic losses. Studies performed in the last decade indicate that adult dairy cows experience oxidative stress. Increasing interest in the role of oxidative status in ruminant medicine has emphasized the need to develop reliable methods to assess it. A few studies have evaluated the relationship between LDA and oxidative status, mostly through the determination of single parameters of oxidation and the determination of antioxidant status separately, with contrasting results. The aim of this study was to assess the oxidative status by the measurement of Reactive Oxygen Metabolites with d-ROMs and Biological Antioxidant Potential BAP and the calculation of the Oxidative Status index in 74 multiparous dairy cows with LDA. Each case was matched with a control herdmate. The amount of free oxygen radicals in plasma samples was determined using the d-ROMs test, the concentration of antioxidants was measured using the BAP test and the Oxidative Status index was also calculated. The concentration of d-ROMs was significantly higher in the study group compared to the control group (179 ± 37.7 U CARR and 158 ± 23.0 U CARR, respectively), while the concentration of BAP was significantly lower in the study group than in the control group (2156 ± 98.1 µmol/L vs. 2558 ± 108.5 µmol/L). The Oxidative Status index value was significantly higher in cows with LDA than in healthy cows (8.3 ± 1.51 vs. 6.2 ± 0.76). The results of this study indicated that an inbalance between oxidants and antioxidants occurred in cattle with LDA.

Association between left-displaced abomasum corrected with 2-step laparoscopic abomasopexy and milk production in a commercial dairy farm in Italy

Background

Left displacement of the abomasum (LDA) is a condition of dairy cows that causes huge economic losses. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of LDA after on-farm correction by the 2-step laparoscopic abomasopexy on milk production based on 305-d milk yield on a commercial dairy farm in Italy.The study was performed between January 2011 and January 2014 on 58 Holstein Friesian cattle with left displacement of the abomasum in a commercial dairy farm in the farmland of Ozieri, Sardinia (Italy). Each cow underwent a 2-step laparoscopic abomasopexy performed by the same veterinarian. Each case was matched with a control herdmate by age, parity and calving date. Cows with LDA and healthy control cows also had a similar 305-d milk yield in the previous lactation. Data on milk production were collected using a dairy herd management software programme (Afimilk®, Afimilk Ltd., Israel). The 305-d lactation yield was obtained from the sum of daily milk yields for each cow. An unpaired Student’s t-test was used to compare changes in milk production, mean fat and protein percentage of cases and controls before and after surgical procedure.

Results

Data from 4 cows were excluded from the analysis due to post-surgical complications. 54 cases and 54 control cows participated in the study. We found that milk production significantly decreased from a baseline of 12,295 ± 1690 kg to 11,165 ± 1989 kg in the affected lactation. Conversely, a significant increase was observed for mean fat and protein percentage during lactation in case cows.

Conclusions

In the present study cows with left displacement of the abomasum corrected with 2-step laparoscopic abomasopexy produced less milk than their control herdmates. Each case and control pair in the present study came from the same farm in order to eliminate farm to farm differences in management, housing, season, etc. However, this limits the validity of our data to the specific situation described here.

Estimating the economic impact of subclinical ketosis in dairy cattle using a dynamic stochastic simulation model

The objective of this study was to estimate the economic impact of subclinical ketosis (SCK) in dairy cows. This metabolic disorder occurs in the period around calving and is associated with an increased risk of other diseases. Therefore, SCK affects farm productivity and profitability. Estimating the economic impact of SCK may make farmers more aware of this problem, and can improve their decision-making regarding interventions to reduce SCK. We developed a dynamic stochastic simulation model that enables estimating the economic impact of SCK and related diseases (i.e. mastitis, metritis, displaced abomasum, lameness and clinical ketosis) occurring during the first 30 days after calving. This model, which was applied to a typical Dutch dairy herd, groups cows according to their parity (1 to 5+), and simulates the dynamics of SCK and related diseases, and milk production per cow during one lactation. The economic impact of SCK and related diseases resulted from a reduced milk production, discarded milk, treatment costs, costs from a prolonged calving interval and removal (culling or dying) of cows. The total costs of SCK were €130 per case per year, with a range between €39 and €348 (5 to 95 percentiles). The total costs of SCK per case per year, moreover, increased from €83 per year in parity 1 to €175 in parity 3. Most cows with SCK, however, had SCK only (61%), and costs were €58 per case per year. Total costs of SCK per case per year resulted for 36% from a prolonged calving interval, 24% from reduced milk production, 19% from treatment, 14% from discarded milk and 6% from removal. Results of the sensitivity analysis showed that the disease incidence, removal risk, relations of SCK with other diseases and prices of milk resulted in a high variation of costs of SCK. The costs of SCK, therefore, might differ per farm because of farm-specific circumstances. Improving data collection on the incidence of SCK and related diseases, and on consequences of diseases can further improve economic estimations.

Judicious use of prophylactic antimicrobials to reduce abdominal surgical site infections in periparturient cows: part 1 - a risk factor review

Surgical site infections (SSI) are an uncommon, but significant, consequence of surgical interventions. There are very few studies investigating SSI risk in veterinary medicine, and even fewer in cattle, despite the fact that major surgeries are commonly conducted on livestock. Furthermore, the suboptimal conditions under which such surgeries are frequently performed on livestock could be considered an important risk factor for the development of SSIs. With increasing public concern over the contribution of veterinary-prescribed antimicrobials to the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in people, there is widespread scrutiny and criticism of antimicrobial use in livestock production medicine systems. While the causal link between antimicrobial resistance in livestock and people is heavily debated, it is clear that the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance, in any population, is closely correlated with the antimicrobial 'consumption' within that population. As the veterinary profession explores ways of addressing the emergence and selection of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in food-producing animals, there is a need for veterinarians and producers to carefully consider all areas of antimicrobial use, and employ an evidence-based approach in designing appropriate clinical protocols. This paper aims to review current knowledge regarding the risk factors related to abdominal SSI in periparturient cows, and to encourage practitioners to judiciously evaluate both their standard operating procedures and their use of antimicrobials in these situations. In a second paper, to be published in a subsequent issue of Veterinary Record, these principles will be used to provide specific evidence-based recommendations for antimicrobial use in bovine abdominal surgery.

On-farm evaluation of the effect of metabolic diseases on the shape of the lactation curve in dairy cows through the MilkBot lactation model

The effects of metabolic diseases (MD) occurring during the transition period on milk production of dairy cows have been evaluated in many different ways, often with conflicting conclusions. The present study used a fitted lactation model to analyze specific aspects of lactation curve shape and magnitude in cows that avoided culling or death in the first 120 d in milk (DIM). Production and health records of 1,946 lactations in a 1-yr follow-up study design were collected from a transition management facility in Germany to evaluate both short- and long-term effects of MD on milk production. Milk production data were fitted with the nonlinear MilkBot lactation model, and health records were used to classify cows as healthy (H), affected by one MD (MD), or by multiple MD (MD+). The final data set contained 1,071 H, 348 MD, and 136 MD+ cows, with distinct incidences of 3.7% twinning, 4.8% milk fever, 3.6% retained placenta, 15.4% metritis, 8.3% ketosis, 2.0% displaced abomasum, and 3.7% mastitis in the first 30 DIM. The model containing all healthy and diseased cows showed that lactations classified as H had milk production that increased faster (lower ramp) and also declined faster (lower persistence) compared with cows that encountered one or more metabolic problems. The level of production (scale) was only lowered in MD+ cows compared with H and MD cows. Although the shape of the lactation curve changed when cows encounter uncomplicated (single) MD or complicated MD (more than one MD), the slower increase to a lower peak seemed to be compensated for by greater persistency, resulting in the overall 305-d milk production only being lowered in MD+ cows. In the individual disease models, specific changes in the shape of the lactation curve were found for all MD except twinning. Milk fever, retained placenta, ketosis, and mastitis mainly affected the lactation curve when accompanied by another MD, whereas metritis and displaced abomasum affected the lactation curve equally with or without another MD. Overall, 305-d milk production was decreased in complicated metritis (10,603 ± 50 kg vs. 10,114 ± 172 kg). Although care should be taken in generalizing conclusions from a highly specialized transition management facility, the current study demonstrated that lactation curve analysis may contribute substantially to the evaluation of both short- and long-term effects of metabolic diseases on milk production by detecting changes in the distribution of production that are not apparent when only totals are analyzed.