After parturition, dairy cows suffer from an intense energy deficit caused by the onset of copious milk secretion and an inadequate increase in voluntary food intake. We previously showed that this energy deficit contributes to a decline in plasma leptin. This decline mirrors that of plasma insulin but is reciprocal to the profile of plasma growth hormone (GH), suggesting that both hormones may...

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of sub-clinical and clinical mastitis and the associated factors in cows from selected smallholder dairy farms in Zimbabwe. Physical examinations were conducted on all lactating cows for evidence of signs of clinical mastitis. Composite milk samples were collected from all lactating cows for bacterial culture and somatic cell cou...

Many of the diseases that affect dairy cattle either in confinement or pasture-based systems typically occur in the first two months of lactation, before the first postpartum insemination. The increased susceptibility to metabolic and infectious diseases with parturition and the onset of lactation poses a major challenge to reproduction. A wealth of information in the scientific literature is a...

AIMS This study aimed at elucidating the effects of recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (r-hFSH) on the ovarian follicular dynamics, progesterone, estradiol-17β profiles, and pregnancy of dairy cows. MATERIALS AND METHODS Three groups (G, n=5 cows) of multiparous dairy cows were used. G1 (C) control cows were given controlled internal drug release (CIDR) and prostaglandin F2α; G2 (...

A gastrointestinal problem known as ‘bloody gut’ has been recognized with increasing frequency in dairy cows over the last decade. The disease is also called jejunal hemorrhage syndrome or hemorrhagic bowel syndrome (HBS). These different names are quite descriptive of the way the problem appears in affected cows. Animals may be affected individually, or in a cluster of several affected on the ...

In order to investigate the relationship between insulin to glucagon ratio and metabolic factors in transitional period of dairy cows, 28 cows heifers with body condition score of 3.25- 3.75 were selected. Dairy cows received close up diet, from 21 days prepartum until parturition and lactation diet according to nutritional requirements after parturition. Blood was sampled at 10 days before and...

Managers of high producing dairy herds have known for some time that optimizing reproductive efficiency is an essential issue in maintaining profitability of a dairy herd. A recent survey by the University of Wisconsin Center for Dairy Profitability asked a random sample of 2,700 dairy producers in Wisconsin to rank the importance of different dairy issues to the future profitability of their b...

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a flaxseed-supplemented diet on archaeal abundance and gene expression of methanogens in the rumen of dairy cows. In all, 11 non-lactating dairy cows were randomly divided into two groups: group A (five cows) and B (six cows). The two diets fed were: (1) the control diet, a conventional dry cow ration; and (2) the flaxseed-supplement...

In the current scenario due to increased input costs, commercial dairy operations are seeking reduced-cost feed alternatives to enhance productivity while reducing feed costs. The organic dairy sector has had recent unprecedented changes in their industry due to increased grain prices. Therefore, organic dairy farmers in particular are seeking lowercost energy alternatives. Sugar cane molasses,...

A number of factors influence dairy cow preference to be indoors or at pasture. The study reported here investigated whether herbage mass and distance affects preference and if continuously housed cows exhibited behavioral and production differences compared to cows that had free access to pasture. Dairy cows (n = 16) were offered a free choice of being in cubicle housing (1.5 cubicles/cow) or ...