The farms you work with have the potential to collect data daily that can give insights into developing disease and health disorders. Activity-based systems have become increasingly popular, utilizing different data points to identify cows at highest risk for emerging health problems. At the most basic, when a cow deviates from her normal and out of the normal function or activity range for her pen of cows, she will show up in a health alert list. Depending on the system this can be due to reduced feed intake, reduced rumination, and/or changes in activity. Multiple research studies and years of practice have shown that cows reduce intake, rumination, and change activity patterns a few days before coming down with an acute illness. Can we rescue these cows before they fall ill?
The immune response uses a large amount of nutrients – energy, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. When cows reduce intake because they are ill, they inadvertently decrease the nutrients available to support the immune system. The drive to make milk is very strong in early lactation, and milk production will decrease but not cease. If the immune system is not adequately supported with the nutrients needed, then the ability to prevent or resolve an illness is reduced. How can we support the immune system and get cows eating again?
Agrarian’s focus has always been on solving problems where they start rather than treating the consequences. For cows that show up on health alert systems due to reduced feed intake, Agrarian products can set the cow on the right track. The BioFresh® Microbial Bolus encourages feed intake while providing nutrients needed to support the immune system and digestive tract. Reduced feed intake often results in an elevated intestinal pH favoring pathogen growth and, consequently, damage with intestinal lining. The BioFresh Microbial Bolus features lactic acid-producing bacteria to maintain the correct pH, as well as research-proven IgY to further hinder pathogen growth. The BioFresh Microbial Bolus is formulated with nutrients to support immune function to further defend and protect the cow.
Recent data have correlated decreased rumination time during the closeup period with increased risk of developing metritis or other uterine disorders after calving. It is often impractical to treat cows that are in the closeup pen and disturbing the entire pen of cows to treat a few may be counterproductive. If it is not possible to treat these cows before calving, there are opportunities to help these cows at calving. Agrarian Solutions’ transition cow bolus, Cow Start™ Complete, has demonstrated in published research trials to be beneficial to all newly freshened cows, and especially those cows needing an extra boost at calving. Cow Start Complete contains 72 easily absorbable micronutrients plus calcium and magnesium to support the immune and metabolic systems. This is especially important at calving when eating and ruminating are depressed in all cows.
If the farms for which you consult utilize activity-based systems for health alerts, you can look to Agrarian’s product solutions to help cows overcome illnesses and maintain feed intake. The Agrarian Defend and Protect™ Program guidelines as well as CowManager® – specific material are available as resources for your clients and you.
Authors: Caroline Knoblock, MSc, – Director of Nutrition, Agrarian Solutions and Larry Roth, Ph.D., PAS – Vice President of Nutrition
