Animal and Veterinary Sciences

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On-farm Safety and Efficacy Trial of Cow Start Calcium Bolus

Received: 24 October 2019    Accepted: 18 November 2019    Published: 02 December 2019
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Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate both the safety, and efficacy of supplementation at calving with a combined oral calcium and anti-oxidant bolus on post-partum metabolic status, fresh cow energy status, vaginal mucous score and early lactation milk production performance. Multiparous (n=103) cows from 3 dairy herds in Ireland were enrolled in this study and randomly assigned to either a control (CON, n=51) group or an oral bolus supplemented (BOL, n=52) group. CON cows received no oral boluses. BOL cows received 2 oral boluses, at 0 and 18 hours (hrs) after calving. Cows were fed a standard dry cow diet of second cut grass silage with supplemental pre-calving minerals, and fewer than 2.3% of all fresh cows (n=899) in these herds were treated for clinical milk fever (below target incidence level). Trial-eligible cows treated with IV calcium at calving were excluded from the trial. No adverse events associated with bolus safety were observed. The bolus was adminstered with ease and was well-tolerated by all animals. Calving and early lactation disease events were recorded. Metabolic status was evaluated by using milk ketone (beta hydroxybutyrate (BHBA)) testing at day 14 and day 21 post-partum. Cows in the BOL group recorded significantly lower milk BHBA levels (0.46mg/dl) compared to CON cows (0.67mg/dl), (p<0.0001). Milk yield, Milk Fat % and kg, Milk Protein % and kg, combined milk components (milk fat and milk protein kg) and somatic cell counts (SCC) were recorded but no significant differences were observed. Results of this study indicate that the bolus is safe to use in post-partum dairy cows. Furthermore, cows responded favourably to treatment with the bolus with regard to improved metabolic status in the critical post-partum period. Results of this study suggest that supplementing dairy cows with oral boluses can have beneficial effects, even in dairy herds with a below-average incidence of hypocalcaemia.

DOI 10.11648/j.avs.20190706.11
Published in Animal and Veterinary Sciences (Volume 7, Issue 6, November 2019)
Page(s) 113-118
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Hypocalcaemia, Calcium and Anti-oxidant Bolus, Metabolic Status

References
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[4] Mulligan, F. and M. Doherty, Production diseases: a major health, welfare and economic problem on dairy farms. Vet J, 2008. 176 (1): p. 1-2.
[5] Curtis, C. R., et al., Association of parturient hypocalcemia with eight periparturient disorders in Holstein cows. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1983. 183 (5): p. 559-61.
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[7] Whiteford, L. C. and I. M. Sheldon, Association between clinical hypocalcaemia and postpartum endometritis. Vet Rec, 2005. 157 (7): p. 202-3.
[8] Martinez, N., et al., Evaluation of peripartal calcium status, energetic profile, and neutrophil function in dairy cows at low or high risk of developing uterine disease. J Dairy Sci, 2012. 95 (12): p. 7158-72.
[9] Reinhardt, T. A., et al., Prevalence of subclinical hypocalcemia in dairy herds. Vet J, 2011. 188 (1): p. 122-4.
[10] Roche, J. R., The incidence and control of hypocalcaemia in pasture-based systems. Acta Vet Scand Suppl, 2003. 97: p. 141-4.
[11] Goff, J. P. and R. L. Horst, Oral administration of calcium salts for treatment of hypocalcemia in cattle. J Dairy Sci, 1993. 76 (1): p. 101-8.
[12] Oetzel, G. R., Effect of calcium chloride gel treatment in dairy cows on incidence of periparturient diseases. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1996. 209 (5): p. 958-61.
[13] Rossi, C. C., R., Effects of a supplemental calcified marine algae bolus on blood calcium concentration, 2017.
[14] Bernard J. K.; Ellison B. N.; Taylor S. J.; Byrd, A. T., Impact of feeding a highly available source of calcium and magnesium on serum concentrations and urinary and excretion in pre-fresh dairy cattle., in American Dairy Science Association2018, Journal of Dairy Science: Knoxville, Tennessee. p. 318.
[15] Leonhard-Marek, S. and H. Martens, Effects of potassium on magnesium transport across rumen epithelium. Am J Physiol, 1996. 271 (6 Pt 1): p. G1034-8.
[16] Martin-Tereso, J. and H. Martens, Calcium and magnesium physiology and nutrition in relation to the prevention of milk fever and tetany (dietary management of macrominerals in preventing disease). Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract, 2014. 30 (3): p. 643-70.
[17] LeBlanc, S. J., et al., Peripartum serum vitamin E, retinol, and beta-carotene in dairy cattle and their associations with disease. J Dairy Sci, 2004. 87 (3): p. 609-19.
[18] Cebra, C. K., et al., The relationship between endogenous cortisol, blood micronutrients, and neutrophil function in postparturient Holstein cows. J Vet Intern Med, 2003. 17 (6): p. 902-7.
[19] Spears, J. W. and W. P. Weiss, Role of antioxidants and trace elements in health and immunity of transition dairy cows. Vet J, 2008. 176 (1): p. 70-6.
[20] Hogan, J. S., et al., Bovine neutrophil responses to parenteral vitamin E. J Dairy Sci, 1992. 75 (2): p. 399-405.
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Author Information
  • Anchor Life Science Ltd., Co. Cork, Ireland

  • College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

  • College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

  • Anchor Life Science Ltd., Co. Cork, Ireland

  • College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    John Lawlor, Alan Fahey, Enda Neville, Alice Stack, Finbar Mulligan. (2019). On-farm Safety and Efficacy Trial of Cow Start Calcium Bolus. Animal and Veterinary Sciences, 7(6), 113-118. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.avs.20190706.11

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    ACS Style

    John Lawlor; Alan Fahey; Enda Neville; Alice Stack; Finbar Mulligan. On-farm Safety and Efficacy Trial of Cow Start Calcium Bolus. Anim. Vet. Sci. 2019, 7(6), 113-118. doi: 10.11648/j.avs.20190706.11

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    AMA Style

    John Lawlor, Alan Fahey, Enda Neville, Alice Stack, Finbar Mulligan. On-farm Safety and Efficacy Trial of Cow Start Calcium Bolus. Anim Vet Sci. 2019;7(6):113-118. doi: 10.11648/j.avs.20190706.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.avs.20190706.11,
      author = {John Lawlor and Alan Fahey and Enda Neville and Alice Stack and Finbar Mulligan},
      title = {On-farm Safety and Efficacy Trial of Cow Start Calcium Bolus},
      journal = {Animal and Veterinary Sciences},
      volume = {7},
      number = {6},
      pages = {113-118},
      doi = {10.11648/j.avs.20190706.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.avs.20190706.11},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.avs.20190706.11},
      abstract = {The objective of this study was to evaluate both the safety, and efficacy of supplementation at calving with a combined oral calcium and anti-oxidant bolus on post-partum metabolic status, fresh cow energy status, vaginal mucous score and early lactation milk production performance. Multiparous (n=103) cows from 3 dairy herds in Ireland were enrolled in this study and randomly assigned to either a control (CON, n=51) group or an oral bolus supplemented (BOL, n=52) group. CON cows received no oral boluses. BOL cows received 2 oral boluses, at 0 and 18 hours (hrs) after calving. Cows were fed a standard dry cow diet of second cut grass silage with supplemental pre-calving minerals, and fewer than 2.3% of all fresh cows (n=899) in these herds were treated for clinical milk fever (below target incidence level). Trial-eligible cows treated with IV calcium at calving were excluded from the trial. No adverse events associated with bolus safety were observed. The bolus was adminstered with ease and was well-tolerated by all animals. Calving and early lactation disease events were recorded. Metabolic status was evaluated by using milk ketone (beta hydroxybutyrate (BHBA)) testing at day 14 and day 21 post-partum. Cows in the BOL group recorded significantly lower milk BHBA levels (0.46mg/dl) compared to CON cows (0.67mg/dl), (p<0.0001). Milk yield, Milk Fat % and kg, Milk Protein % and kg, combined milk components (milk fat and milk protein kg) and somatic cell counts (SCC) were recorded but no significant differences were observed. Results of this study indicate that the bolus is safe to use in post-partum dairy cows. Furthermore, cows responded favourably to treatment with the bolus with regard to improved metabolic status in the critical post-partum period. Results of this study suggest that supplementing dairy cows with oral boluses can have beneficial effects, even in dairy herds with a below-average incidence of hypocalcaemia.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - On-farm Safety and Efficacy Trial of Cow Start Calcium Bolus
    AU  - John Lawlor
    AU  - Alan Fahey
    AU  - Enda Neville
    AU  - Alice Stack
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    T2  - Animal and Veterinary Sciences
    JF  - Animal and Veterinary Sciences
    JO  - Animal and Veterinary Sciences
    SP  - 113
    EP  - 118
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-5850
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.avs.20190706.11
    AB  - The objective of this study was to evaluate both the safety, and efficacy of supplementation at calving with a combined oral calcium and anti-oxidant bolus on post-partum metabolic status, fresh cow energy status, vaginal mucous score and early lactation milk production performance. Multiparous (n=103) cows from 3 dairy herds in Ireland were enrolled in this study and randomly assigned to either a control (CON, n=51) group or an oral bolus supplemented (BOL, n=52) group. CON cows received no oral boluses. BOL cows received 2 oral boluses, at 0 and 18 hours (hrs) after calving. Cows were fed a standard dry cow diet of second cut grass silage with supplemental pre-calving minerals, and fewer than 2.3% of all fresh cows (n=899) in these herds were treated for clinical milk fever (below target incidence level). Trial-eligible cows treated with IV calcium at calving were excluded from the trial. No adverse events associated with bolus safety were observed. The bolus was adminstered with ease and was well-tolerated by all animals. Calving and early lactation disease events were recorded. Metabolic status was evaluated by using milk ketone (beta hydroxybutyrate (BHBA)) testing at day 14 and day 21 post-partum. Cows in the BOL group recorded significantly lower milk BHBA levels (0.46mg/dl) compared to CON cows (0.67mg/dl), (p<0.0001). Milk yield, Milk Fat % and kg, Milk Protein % and kg, combined milk components (milk fat and milk protein kg) and somatic cell counts (SCC) were recorded but no significant differences were observed. Results of this study indicate that the bolus is safe to use in post-partum dairy cows. Furthermore, cows responded favourably to treatment with the bolus with regard to improved metabolic status in the critical post-partum period. Results of this study suggest that supplementing dairy cows with oral boluses can have beneficial effects, even in dairy herds with a below-average incidence of hypocalcaemia.
    VL  - 7
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

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