The Points To Be Observed On The Body To Make An Inference About The Tissue & Fat Condition Of The Animal

Ketosis Ketosis is a condition commonly observed in high milk-yielding cows. It occurs when blood sugar levels drop and ketone bodies increase in the body. This disease can result from inadequate feeding, nutritional deficiencies, reproductive disorders, kidney stones, pneumonia, and other such conditions that reduce the animal’s overall nutritional intake.

Causes of Ketosis:

• Starvation or insufficient feeding
• Low carbohydrate content in the diet
• Deficiency of essential nutrients These factors lead to a drop in blood sugar levels, fat breakdown, and the formation of ketone bodies. When produced in excess, these ketones are expelled through breath, urine, and milk, often giving off a sweet smell in the cowshed. An excess of protein in the diet or poor-quality silage can also lead to an increase in ketone bodies. Deficiencies of cobalt and phosphorus, reduced feed intake, lack of exercise, poor liver function, and hormonal imbalances can also contribute to ketosis.

Occurrence:

Ketosis is commonly found in cows or buffaloes that are tied constantly and give high quantities of milk. It results in reduced milk production and profit. It is most commonly observed between 10 days and 2 months after calving. Severe cold weather and genetics can also be contributing factors.

Symptoms:

• Refusing to eat solid feed (cattle feed) and only eating green fodder
• Sudden drop in milk production
• Rapid weight loss
• Reduced movement
• Sweet-smelling breath, urine, and milk
• Firm, dry dung with mucus In severe cases, the animal may show signs like circling, stumbling, head pressing, partial blindness, and licking non-food items. In subclinical cases, the main sign is reduced milk yield.

Diagnosis is done through early symptoms, history, and laboratory testing of urine using the Rothera’s test.

Treatment & Control:

• During high milk production, provide energy-rich cattle feed like Gold Corn Mash
• Offer more cattle feed than usual during transition periods
• Improve feed intake capacity
• Use good quality silage in proper quantities
• Ensure proper exercise
• Seek appropriate treatment from a qualified veterinarian

Milk Fever (Hypocalcemia)

Milk fever is commonly observed in high milk-yielding cows, particularly between their third and fifth lactation. Often, due to unrecognized symptoms, this disease can adversely affect both milk production and the overall health of the animal.

Causes and Mechanism:

Around the time of calving, the calcium level in the blood drops, causing muscle fatigue. The animal may sit on one side with its head turned into its chest.

The main causes of milk fever are:

1. Excess calcium being excreted through milk or colostrum.
2. Slower release of calcium from the bones into the bloodstream.
3. Deficiency of Vitamin D3 or the hormone parathyroid hormone (PTH).
4. Providing too much calcium during the dry (non-lactating) period can disrupt hormonal balance and reduce calcium absorption. Other reasons include indigestion, an imbalanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in the diet, etc.

Milk fever is a global disease. It affects crossbred cows, high-yielding buffaloes, goats, sheep, horses, and pigs. It is more common in cows aged 5 to 10 years. It can occur in any season, typically appearing just before calving, a few hours after calving, or within 2 to 3 days post-calving.

Contributing factors include cold weather, long-distance transport, excessive exercise, consumption of oxalate-rich fodder (like sugarcane tops), and digestive disorders.

Symptoms:

• Difficulty in standing up
• Sitting with head bent toward the abdomen
• Cold skin, legs, and tail
• Dilated pupils
• Reduced urination and defecation
• Bloating
• Hyperexcitability
• Uterine prolapse
• Retained placenta
• Shivering and muscle tremors

If not treated promptly, the animal may die. Hence, it is important to seek veterinary help immediately for correct treatment.

Prevention:

• Avoid stress and long travel during the dry period
• Provide proper arrangement for feed, fodder, and clean water (especially dry fodder)
• During the transition period (last 30 days before calving), feed anionic mineral supplements
• Regular exercise helps maintain healthy digestion

Consequences of Milk Fever:

Due to low calcium in the blood, muscles lose strength, which can cause internal injuries. Cows affected by milk fever may show reduced overall health, decreased milk production, impaired fertility, weak immunity, retained placenta, uterine infections, displacement of stomach compartments, and other future complications.

The disease risk is higher in overweight cows post-calving.

Acidosis (Acidic Indigestion)

Acidosis is a commonly observed digestive disorder in cattle. The main symptoms include reduced or complete loss of appetite, gas accumulation in the rumen, slightly loose stools with undigested grain particles, and a foul smell in the dung.

Main Causes:

• Excess grain-based feed
• Too much leguminous fodder
• Excess intake of tender green grass
• High protein content or excessive silage in the diet
• Sudden changes in the feed
• Consumption of poorly digestible or moldy, rotten, or spoiled feed/fodder
• Contaminated or insufficient water
• Rapid overfeeding
• Older animals
• Stress due to transportation
• Incomplete rumination

All these factors can lead to a disturbance in the rumen environment, causing acidosis.

Symptoms, Remedies, and Prevention:

• Incomplete or complete refusal to eat fodder and feed
• Reduced movement and sluggish behavior
• Decreased or stopped rumination
• On palpation of the left side of the animal (where the rumen is located), it feels like an inflated ball due to gas buildup
• Soft, watery dung in large amounts may be observed in the shed

In most cases, the body temperature and breathing rate remain normal. This condition is often seen in freshly calved cows or high milk-yielding cows, as they need higher nutrition for body maintenance and milk production. If high-quality single and leguminous fodder is not available, the amount of cattle feed needs to be increased to meet energy demands. This can raise acidity in the rumen.

If more than 7 kg of cattle feed is being given per day, it should be split into 3 to 4 feedings throughout the day. Similarly, in the daily diet of freshly calved cows, the quantity of cattle feed should be increased gradually. Otherwise, increased rumen acidity can disturb digestion, reduce feed intake, and lead to a drop in milk production.

Thus, maintaining the normal (natural) function of the rumen becomes a key challenge for veterinarians, farmers, and animal nutritionists. As a solution, several supplements are available in the market — for example, “Sphoorti” by Hindustan Feeds — which farmers should use under expert guidance.

During summer, green fodder availability decreases and its quality declines. To maintain milk production, farmers increase the use of cattle feed, grains, and wheat bran. This can increase the risk of acidosis, leading to reduced milk production and poor health, even with higher feed intake.

Recommendations for Farmers:

• Maintain a balanced diet of fodder and feed
• Use supplements like Sphoorti under expert advice
• Ensure consistency in milk production while protecting animal health

Uterine Infection (Metritis)

Uterine infection is commonly observed in cows or buffaloes that have recently calved. This condition requires high-quality and timely treatment, increasing the farmer’s production costs and reducing net profits. If not treated properly, the animal’s reproductive efficiency drastically declines, making it difficult for the animal to come into heat or conceive. Additionally, due to a weakened immune system, the animal becomes more susceptible to other diseases.

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Causes of Uterine Infection:

• Bacteria such as Brucella, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus
• Protozoan parasites like Trichomonas foetus
• Retained placenta or a stuck calf during delivery
• Abortion
• Delay in the uterus returning to its normal size after calving
• Poor uterine contractions post-delivery
• Lack of exercise
• Unsanitary conditions in the shed
• Internal injuries during artificial insemination

These conditions increase the chances of uterine infection. If not diagnosed and treated in time, the animal may even die.

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Symptoms of Uterine Infection:

• Often spreads through contact with other infected animals or due to unsanitary conditions in the cowshed
• Sudden rise in body temperature in freshly calved animals
• Increased pulse rate
• Reduced feed and water intake
• Little or no rumination
• Drop in milk production
• Weight loss
• Foul-smelling pus-like discharge from the vaginal area (do not handle this with bare hands)
• Frequent urination

In addition to external symptoms, various internal signs are also observed by a qualified veterinarian.

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Treatment and Control:

• Consult a veterinarian immediately and begin treatment without delay
• Maintain strict hygiene in the cowshed
• If the placenta is retained, initiate medical treatment promptly
• Do not ignore reproductive system disorders
• Keep the infected animal isolated from healthy animals until recovery