Four Tips to Better Gut Health Management
It is more important than ever to be sure your herd is protected from health challenges that can negatively impact your bottom line. Your herd's productivity is directly related to feed intake, rumen function, digestive efficiency, gut integrity and immune status. Failure to meet any of these requirements can result in lowered efficiency and increased costs.
Symptoms of a gut health challenge in your herd may include:
- Increased incidence of disease (increased treatment costs)
- Variable manure or scours
- Decreased production efficiency
- Reduced milk yield
- Increased somatic cell count
- Reduced feed intake
- Rough coat
- Irregular heat cycles and other fertility issues
These symptoms can be caused by one or many gut health concerns including rumen acidosis, salmonella, E. coli and one or several types of mycotoxins impacting overall health. A combination of factors can contribute to symptoms and health issues are often underestimated.
In order to take control of digestive dysfunctions, you must look at your gut health program as a whole.
- Work with your nutritionist and veterinarian to evaluate your feeding program and determine if you are utilizing theappropriate fiber lengths.
- Review your fiber and starch levels, test forages for molds and mycotoxins.
- Assess available technologies to help ensure proper gut health function.
- Don't forget the basics in cow comfort and management practices to ensure productivity and reduce the spread of infectious diseases.
Four Tips to Mastitis Prevention
According to the National Mastitis Council the cost of poor milk quality is expensive. The average cost of a single case of mastitis is approximately $184. Two-thirds of this cost is due to a drop in milk production. Four areas to focus on that can keep your herd on the right path for peak productivity and assist you in managing or even working to prevent instances of mastitis in your herd are listed below.
Udder and teat end health is critical when it comes to avoiding instances of infection in your herd.
1. Parlor Routine can be very often overlooked. When
assessing parlor routine some of the smallest things can
make a difference, like wearing gloves, making sure there
is adequate pre-dip coverage and the contact time of pre-dip
before it is wiped off can have a significant impact.
Employees should follow the standards in place and
complete them properly.
2. The environment cattle are housed in can also play a role
in poor milk quality. Are your cows housed in a mastitis
infection yard or are they in a well-ventilated, dry area with
minimal contact to mastitis-causing bacteria?
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