Common Nutritional Disorders Common Nutritional Disorders in Beef Cattle

1. Animal Health
2. Livestock Wellness & Disease Management
3. Nutritional Bug (new)

1.Free energy and Protein Deficiency

2.Vitamin Deficiency

iii.Mineral Imbalance

iv.Ketosis in Dairy Cows

5.Acidosis of the Rumen

6.Bloat

7.Review Procedure

8.Information Source Links

Nutritional Problems (new)

Free energy and Poly peptide Deficiency

Introduction

Animals require energy and proteins for different body functions. Energy is required for maintenance (to maintain the body, respiration and digestion), production (growth, milk and workforce) and reproduction (pregnancy). An creature derives free energy from dietary carbohydrates. Proteins are required for formation of trunk tissue. Proteins tin can be derived from feed and are formed by intestinal flora.

Adequate suppy of both energy and protein is essential for the general health of whatsoever creature. The requirement of both energy and protein past any animal depends on the bodyweight of the beast and the the degree of production expected from the animal. Prolonged deficiency of both proteins and energy would upshot in loss of condition and in power to be productive.

Malnutrition if prolonged eventually leads to death. Malnutrition acquired by lack of energy and proteins may occur anywhere in the globe but is more prevalent in the torrid zone. Animal feeds vary in their levels of energy and proteins. Straws such equally rice straw and wheat straw are poor sources of both proteins and energy whereas concentrates similar dairy meal may be rich in both.

In the tropics, good quality pastures may provide adequate poly peptide and energy for maintenance and production. However in situations of drought or overgrazing, animals are liable to receive inadequate free energy or proteins from pastures.

Signs of Energy and Protein Deficiency

Free energy Deficiency

Deficiency of energy is the near mutual food deficiency which limits the performance of grazing animals. Feed may be inadequate due to overgrazing, drought, poor quality or digestibility or expense. Former provender may contain an excess of water, limiting energy intake.

Energy deficiencies result in:

• Retarded growth in immature animals and a delay in the onset of puberty.
• A shortened lactation in milking animals and refuse in milk production.
• In mature animals, a marked loss of bodyweight, especially during late pregnancy and early lactation.
• Prolonged periods of anoestrus, lasting several months, which have marked effect on the reproductive functioning of a breeding herd.
• Calves and lambs may be born weak and undersized.

Protein Deficiency

Protein deficiencies usually accompany free energy deficiencies. They are not normally every bit severe and take the grade of:

• Reduced appetite in young animals.
• Lowered feed intake.
• Lack of muscle development.
• A prolonged time to achieve maturity.
• In mature animals there is loss of weight and decreased milk production.

Prevention - Control - Treatment

Treatment and prevention of malnutrition is beyond the reach of near farmers. Diseases that worsen the effects of malnutrition tin can be alleviated by advisable handling due east.thou. deworming. Severely malnourished animals unremarkably do non survive fifty-fifty when nutrient again become available, so if a drought is expected or feed sources otherwise too few, it is wisest to sell/slaughter the weaker animals earlier the condition goes down besides much.

Malnourished animals should not exist forced to be productive e.grand. by putting them to work. This volition just worsen the condition.

Vitamin Deficiency

Introduction

In ruminant diseases, only fat soluble vitamins A, D and M accept real importance.

Vitamin A

This is available in most greenish plants, and if the animals graze on well managed pastures and forage, deficiencies volition not occur. However, cattle fed on poor quality roughage, such as poor quality hay and straw, crave supplemention.

Clinical Signs of Vitamin A Deficiency

• Decreased appetite leading to reduced growth.
• Impaired night vision.
• Increased withal births in pregnant animals due to affected reproductive office, especially in cases where dry cows are offered poor diets.
• Fainting fits in calves: the calf collapses as if in a deep slumber so gets up and walks abroad quite normally.
• In latter stages of deficiency, bone growth is affected and this may cause pressure on fretfulness to the eye, which may lead to total blindness.

Diganosis of Vitamin A Deficiency

This tin be done by investigating the history of animals and their diets, and past analysis of blood and liver samples in a laboratory.

Vitamin D

There is piddling vitamin D in plants. Animals obtain most of it from the sun. Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium and phosphorous from the intestines and the deposition of the minerals in bone as well every bit in the maintenance of normal blood levels. Vitamin D deficiency in young calves is probable to occur when they are housed in dim lights and offered poor quality diets.

Clinical Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency

• Reduced Growth Rates.
• The legs may be aptitude and there is abnormal swelling, with stiffness and lameness occurring in a number of animals.
• The teeth may be out of line and the jaw bone deformed.

Treatment

Treatment is by injecting vitamin D and by correcting the ration, including oral supplementation with vitamin D.

Vitamin K

This is available in enough in leafy forages. Primary deficiency does not occur. Deficiency tin be induced by dicoumarol poisoning such as warfarin rat toxicant and mouldy clover hay, which inhibit the action of vitamin Yard. Vitamin K is involved in blood-clotting mechanisms.

Clinical Signs of Vitamin K Deficiency

• Failure of claret clotting, including excessive haemorrhage from cuts.
• Appearance of big cherry hemorrhagic areas in the membranes of the mouth, optics and nose.
• Abdominal hurting and lameness.

Handling and Prevention

• Identify and remove the source of toxicant.
• Give Vitamin 1000 by mouth or through injection.

B Vitamins

This group of vitamins is formed by micro-organisms in the rumen and any excess is absorbed by the cow. They are also nowadays in ample quantities in milk and therefore main dietary deficiency is never seen.

Vitamin C

This is produced in tissues of all farm livestock (cattle, sheep and goats) and dietary supply is unnecessary.

Mineral Imbalance

Introduction

Minerals are essential for all animals and influence the efficiency of livestock production. 5 percent of the bodyweight of an beast consists of minerals.

Causes of Mineral Imbalance

Farming practices tin determine the presence or absence of specific mineral nutrients in animal feed. Heavy applications of nitrogen fertilizer can reduce the copper, cobalt, molybdenum, and manganese content of the pasture. Lime may reduce plant copper, cobalt, zinc and manganese levels but increase the molybdenum content.

Cattle sometimes deteriorate in spite of an abundant feed supply. Mineral imbalances (deficiencies or excesses) in soils and pastures may be responsible for depression product and reproductive problems amid grazing animals in the tropics. Mineral deficiencies in grazing animals are associated with specific regions and are directly related to soil characteristics. Plants grown on tropical soils take been shown to be highly scarce in a number of major and trace minerals needed by grazing animals. Thus, information technology is necessary to provide these elements every bit dietary supplements to promote effecient and profitable livestock production in warm climatic regions.

In tropical regions marked leaching and weathering of soils nether conditions of heavy rainfall and high temperatures make the deficient in plant minerals.

Increasing crop yields remove minerals from the soil at a faster rate and so deficiencies are frequently constitute on the most progressive farms.

Fifty-fifty though a diet may comprise acceptable amounts of particular nutrients, other factors decrease the absorpotion of that nutrient, thus reducing the value of the dietary suppy. Backlog phosphate reduces calcium absorption. Excess calcium reduces the absorption of iodine. Many other examples be of antagonisms between elements.

Signs of Mineral Imbalance

• Wasting diseases.
• Loss of hair, depigmented hair and skin disorders.
• Non-infectious ballgame.
• Diarrhea.
• Loss of appetite or depraved appetite.
• Bone abnormalities.
• Tetany.
• Low fertility.

Mineral Requirements

At least 15 mineral elements accept been identified as nutritionally essential for ruminants. In that location are 7 major minerals - Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Magesium and Sulphur and 8 trace minerals - Cobolt, Copper, Iodine, Fe, Manganese, Molybdenum, Selenium and Zinc.

Mineral requirements depend on the level of productivity. For case, the minimum zinc requirements for spermatogenesis and testicular development in male person sheep are higher than for growth. Manganese requirements are similarly lower for growth than for fertility in sheep.

Improved management practices that atomic number 82 to improved milk production and growth rates for ruminants will necessitate more attending to mineral nutrition. Levels of mineral deficiencies that are small under low levels of production become more than severe with increased levels of production, and previously unsuspected nutritional deficiency signs normally occur every bit production levels increase.

Specific mineral imbalances are associated with specific soil types.

Of import differences in mineral metabolism are the result of breed and accommodation. Information technology is not unusual for cattle introduced into an area to show deficiency signs while the ethnic breeds which are deadening-growing and belatedly-maturing practice not showroom the deficiencies to the same caste. The cattle which are new to the region and have not adapted may sweat profusely and lose saliva and mucous from the mouth, thus losing significant quantities of minerals, particularly in the barren tropics.

Since tropical plant foods comprise less minerals during the dry season, information technology is logical to assume that grazing livestock would most likely suffer mineral inadequacies during this fourth dimension. However information technology has been found that mineral deficiencies are more common during the moisture flavor. During the wet season livestock gain weight rapidly and there is thus a greatly increased requirement for these elements past the grazing brute. During the dry out season, inadequate protein and free energy results in animals losing weight which lowers mineral requirements.

Incidence of Mineral Deficiencies and Toxicities

The mineral elements most probable to be lacking nether tropical atmospheric condition are Calcium, Phosphorus, Sodium, Copper, Cobalt, Iodine, Selenium and Zinc. In some regions, nether specific atmospheric condition, Magnesium, Potassium, Fe and Manganese may be deficient and excesses of Fluorine, Molybdenum and Selenium and extremely detrimental.

Diagnosis of Mineral Deficiencies and Imbalance

Mineral diet disorders range from severe mineral deficiencies or toxicities characterized by well-marked clinical signs and obvious signs of disease to balmy and temporary conditions hard to diagnose and expressed as a vague ill health or unsatisfactory growth and production. The balmy conditions assume great importance because they occur over large areas and affect a large number of animals in add-on to the fact that they tin be confused with the effects of energy and/or poly peptide deficiencies and various types of parasite infestation.

• Clinical signs of mineral deficiencies, pathological and biochemical examinations, along with mineral analyses of soil, h2o, plant and animal tissues and fluids have all been used, with varying degrees of success to establish mineral deficiencies and excesses, but the virtually reliable method of confirming mineral deficiencies is in the response from specific mineral supplementation.
• Claret mineral data must ever be viewed with caution. Bone and liver tissue are much more reliable.
• Common salt, considering it tastes good, is a valuable 'carrier' for other minerals. Mineral supplements should exist available 'free choice' and offered in rain-proof boxes. Consumption is often 10% less when provided in block versus loose form.
• Properly forumulated supplements are of benefit to livestock simply if they are available at all times ina fresh, dry form and presented in suitably constructed feeder boxes, accessible by all members of the herd or flock.
• A 'complete' mineral mixture should contain salt, a Fluorine-Phosphate source, Calcium, Cobalt, Copper, Iodine, Manganese, and Zinc, Selenium, Magnesium, Potassium, Sulphur, Fe or additional elements tin can be incorporated into a mineral supplement as new information suggests a need.
• Information printed on the tag attached to the handbag of mineral supplement is sometimes incorrect or expressed in a style that makes information technology difficult for the farmer to know what is beingness purchased and if it is adequate for the purpose intended. Seek expert advice in case of dubiety.

---

Calcium and Phosphorus

In cattle the almost common mineral deficiency is lack of Phosphorus. In well-nigh livestock grazing areas of tropical countries, soils and plants are low in Phosphorus.

These elements have a vital function in well-nigh all tissues in the body and must be available to livestock in the proper quantaties and ratio.

• 99% of the Calcium and lxxx% of the Phosphorus in the entire body are found in the bones and teeth.
• Calcium is essential for skeletal formation, normal blood clotting, neuromuscular excitability, enzyme activation and permeability of membranes.
• Phosphorus is essential for proper functioning of rumen micro-organisms, especially those which digest plant cellulose, utilization of energy from feeds, buffering of blood and other fluids, many enzyme systems and protein metabolism.-

Requirement
A dietary Calcium: Phosphorus ration betwixt 1:1 and ii:one is assumed to exist platonic for growth and bone formation as this is approximately the ratio of the two minerals in os. If there are excessive amounts of Calcium and Phosphorus in the diet, the availability of sure trace elements may be decreased.

Symptoms
Deficiency signs of borderline Calcium and Phosphorus deficiencies are not easily distinguishable from other deficiencies.

An inadequate intake of Calcium may cause:

• Weakened basic.
• Ho-hum growth.
• Low milk product.
• Convulsions in astringent deficiencies.

Signs of Phosphorus deficiency are not easily recognized except in severe cases, when the post-obit can be seen:

• Fragile basic.
• Full general weakness.
• Emaciation.
• Stiffness.
• Reduced milk production, and
• Chewing of woods, rocks, bones and other objects (Notation that abnormal chewing of objects may likewise occur with other dietary deficiencies).

Severe Phosphorus deficiency results in sub-normal growth and reproduction and a depraved appetite or "pica", every bit illustrated by bone chewing, which may lead to botulism.

Cattle suffering extreme Phosphorus shortage may get for two to 3 years without producing a calf, or even coming into rut. In Phosphorus deficient areas, if a calf is produced, cows may non come into regular heat until the body phosphorus levels are restored.

Due to limitations of serum Calcium and Phosphorus as an indicator of status, an assay of the ration and bone composition and breaking strength are the all-time ways of assessing a deficiency of Calcium and Phosphorus.

Prevention and Control

• Calcium and Phosphorus deficiencies can be prevented or overcome by directly treatment of the animals through supplementation, in the diet or h2o supply, or indirectly by appropriate fertilizer treatment of the soils on which the pasture to exist consumed are grown.
• In intensively farmed areas Phosphate applications designed primarily to increment pasture yields also increase Phosphorus concentrations.
• The easiest and cheapest process is to provide a phosphatic mineral supplement in troughs or boxes protected from the rain. Good sources of mineral Phosphate are Dicalcium Phosphate or Superphosphate.

Magnesium

Magnesium is abundant in most common feedstuffs. It is widely distributed among plant and animal tissues with some 70% of body Magnesium present in the skeleton. Magnesium is of import for neuromuscular activity.

Requirement
The dietary Magnesium requirements of livestock depends on the species and brood, age, and rate of growth or production. The general requirements for maintenance are iii mg/kg bodyweight for maintenance and 120 mg/kg milk.

Symptoms
Hypomagnesemic Tetany, when violent convulsive episodes occur, is caused by a reduction in the concentration of Magnesium in the cerebro-spinal fluid, leading to hyperexcitability, muscular spasms, convulsions, respiratory distress, collapse and death. The disorder occurs afterward a decrease in plasm Magnesium concentration when absorption of dietary Magnesium is unable to run into the requirements fro maintenance.

The condition is not common in the tropics, beingness a illness of colder climates, associated with cold, wet, windy atmospheric condition, little sunshine and no access to shelter or to supplementary feed. Failure to eat during bad weather may be a gene and cold weather stress may increase urinary excretion of Magnesium.

The condition is also associated with lush pastures heavily fertilized with potash and nitrogen which interfere with the absorption of dietary Magnesium.

In the well-nigh acute form, affected cows, which may appear to be grazing normally, suddenly throw upwards their heads, bellow, gallop in a blind frenzy, fall and exhibit severe convulsions. Death may occur inside one-half an hr. Animals may exist found dead but an indication that teh brute has had convulsions before death may be deduced from the marks on the ground.

Treatment
Slow intravenous in jection of Magnesium salts or a combination or a solution containing both Magnesium and Calcium is generally effective, merely treatment must be given quickly to foreclose death.

Prevention and Control

• Magnesium fertilizers, such as calcined magnesite, can significantly increase pasture concentrations.
• Foliar dusting of pastures at regular intervals is another method of delivering Magnesium to pastures.
• Daily oral supplements of 60g for cattle or 10g for sheep may be given during the danger period.
• For calves and cows existence fed concentrates, provision of 50g Magnesium Oxide in 300-400g of concentrate mixture is adequate. Incorporating it into mineral mixes, drenches, molasses-based free choice supplements or sprinkling the mineral onto feed such as grains, chopped roots or silage, are satisfactory means of supplementation.

Potassium

Potassium is essential for life and is required for a variety of body functions. Excitement and stress tends to increase urinary loss of Potassium and diseases with fever or diarrhea further increment Potassium loss.

Symptoms
Potassium deficiency results in non-specific signs such as:

• Slow growth.
• Reduced feed and water intake.
• Lowered feed efficiency.
• Muscular weakness.
• Nervous disorders.
• Stiffness and emaciation.

Prevention and Control
Immature plants generally contain adequate amounts of Potassium but during an extend dry out season deficiencies may occur. Supplemental Potassium salts may be added when grazing dry range pastures and when urea is substituted for found proteins.

Sodium and Chlorine (Common salt)

Sodium and Chlorine are essential for proper h2o metabolism, food uptake and transmission of nervus impulses.

Requirement
The need for Sodium and Chlorine by livestock has been demonstrated for thousands of years past a natural craving for mutual salt. Sodium is the disquisitional nutrient in salt. Giving livestock common salt in the diet at a level of 0.5% is adequate for all subcontract species.

Symptoms

• The intial sign of Sodium and Chlorine deficiency is a craving for salt. Deficient animals will like woods, soil and sweat from other animals and drinking water.
• A prolonged deficiency causes loss of ambition, decreased growth, unhealthy advent, reduced milk production and loss of weight.
• Livestock depreived of salt may be then anxious to get it that they may injure themselves in attempting to attain salt.

Sodium deficiency is most likely to occur:

• During lactation, due to secretion of Sodium in milk.
• In quickly growing animals.
• Nether tropical or hot semi-barren conditions when large losses of water and Sodium occur in sweat and where pastures are depression in Sodium.
• In animals grazing pasture heavily fertilized with Potassium, which depresses plant Sodium levels.

Even after prolonged severe deficiency table salt levels secreted in milk remains high. Thus, lactating animals suffer nearly from lack of salt in the nutrition.

Prevention
Tropical plant feeds normally do not contain sufficient quantities of Sodium to encounter the requirement of grazing livestock throughout the year. This inadequacy is easily overcome by providing salt mixes, usually containing added Iodine and Cobalt. Most animals tin tolerate big quantities of dietary common salt when an adequate supply of water is bachelor. However when animals are deprived of common salt for a period of fourth dimension, re-innovate it slowly and with intendance. Sudden re-introduction can result in severe diarrhoea and in some cases,, trigger-happy nervous symptoms due to swelling of the brain.

Cobalt - "Nakurtis"

Cobalt is required by micro-organisms in the beast's tummy in order to make Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is necessary for proper free energy utilization.

Causes
Principal Cobalt deficiency occurs on soils which are deficient in Cobalt. Land which is extremely deficient in cobalt is unsuitable for raising ruminants and where it is somewhat deficient low growth and production may make rearing sheep and cattle unprofitable.

A wasting illness of ruminants, known locally as 'Nakuruitis' because it occurs near the township of Nakuru, is acquired past cobalt deficiency. Cattle in poor conditions, dosed with cobalt pellets over a seven month catamenia, gained near 200 lb more than those that were not given cobalt.

The deficiency occurs merely in grazing animals and primary cobalt deficiency occurs only where soils are deficient in cobalt. Heavy liming may reduce the amount of cobalt in the soil.

Near astringent deficiencies occur when animals graze on lush pastures because they have a lower cobalt content than more slowly growing plants.

Symptoms of Deficiency

• Animals on Cobalt scarce pastures gradually lose appetite, and failure of growth or loss of weight is followed by extreme loss of appetite, rapid muscular wasting, depraved appetite, astringent anaemia and expiry.
• If the deficiency is mild or marginal the above signs may not occur and only the young most susceptable animals may exhibit signs of weaness, duplicate from those caused by parasitism or low feed intake.
• Balmy forms of Cobalt deficiency in grazing ruminants are difficult to diagnose every bit the merely signs may exist a state of weakness and no anaemia. As a event the merely sure way of establishing that a Cobalt deficiency is present is by observing and measuring the response to the oral administration of Cobalt or Vitamin B12 injections in terms of increased appetite and weight proceeds.

Handling
Affected animals respond to oral dosing with Cobalt or intramuscular injections of Vitamin B12.

Prevention and Control
This is best done by top-dressing affected pastures with Cobalt salts. At the same time cobalt should exist included in the supplemented mineral mixture at a rate of 0.1 mg Cobalt daily for sheep and 0.3 to 1.0 mg Cobalt daily for cattle.

In extensive range grazing the use of heavy Cobalt pellets of Cobalt Oxide is the preferred method. The pellet is in teh form of a bolus - 5g for sheep and 20g for cattle - which, when given by rima oris, lodges in the reticulum and gives off Cobalt in very pocket-size but adequate amounts.

Copper and Molybdenum

Copper is essential in haemoglobin production, the functioning of enzyme systems, as a component of various body pigments and is involved in the key nervous system, bone metabolism and heart part.

Copper is interrelated with other dietary factors including Molybdenum, Sulphur, Zinc, protein Fe and other trace elements. These interactions are important to empathise and recognize when considering dietary Copper requirements.

An excess of Molybdenum in the diet will interfere with the uptake of Copper. Selenium has the efffect of increasing the uptake of Copper in sheep.

Requirement
Copper requirements of ruminant animals are powerfully influenced by interactions with other dietary components, especially Molybdenum and Sulphur. Ideal weather condition are those in which all the dietary factors affecting Copper assimilation and utilization in the creature are at optimal levels.

Deficiency
With the exception of Phosphorus, deficiency of Copper is the virtually astringent mineral deficiency to grazing livestock in the tropics. Deficiencies in ruminants occur mainly nether grazing weather condition. Most deficiencies are 'conditioned' deficiencies i.eastward. normal amounts of Copper are inadequate due to college than normal amounts of other elemnts such as Molybdenum and Sulphur and other factors whih block the utilization of Copper by the body.

Clinical signs of Copper deficiency include:

• Scours.
• Pale mucous membranes.
• Rough and bleached hair.
• Tedious growth and loss of trunk weight.
• Basic may intermission easily and affected cattle may move like a pacing horse rather than similar normal cattle.
• Copper-deficient cattle may die all of a sudden when exerted.
• PM lesions may reveal small lesions on the heart.

Determination of the corporeality of Copper in the diet or the pasture has limited diagnostic value and can be seriously misleading unless other elements with which Copper interacts, peculiarly Molybdenum and Sulphur are adamant equally well.

The master criteria for Copper deficiency is the concentration in the liver.

Prevention and Command
Nether range conditions, deficiency tin can be prevented by the provision of Copper containing supplements, by dosing or drenching the animals at intervals with Copper compounds, or by injection of organic complexes of Copper.

Subcutaneous or intramuscular injection of some safe and slowly absorbed forms of Copper is a satisfactory means of treating animals in Copper scarce areas where the Molybdenum contents of the pasture are moderate.

The application of Copper containing fertilizers tin can exist an effective means of raising the Copper content of pasture to levels adequate for grazing livestock and increasing pasture yields. 5-7 kg/hectare of Copper Sulphate is ordinarily sufficient for three or four years.

Other Deficiencies

Iodine
A deficiency of iodine causes endemicgoitre, merely this has greatly declined in most countries due to the widespread use of iodised table salt.

Iron and Manganese
Iron deficiency rarely occurs in adult livestock and supplementation with Iron and Manganese is much less important than for other trace minerals. Most tropical soils are acid, resulting in animal establish feeds having levels generally in excess of requirements. In addition, soil consumption will provide substantial quantities of these minerals to grazing livestock diets, particularly Iron.

Selenium
Symptoms due to Selenium deficiency are uncommon in the torrid zone. Nutritional muscular dystrophy or white muscle disease affects young, quickly growing calves, lambs and foals, born from dams which take been fed on diets depression in Selenium and Vitamin Eastward for long periods, normally during the winter months and in temperate regions.

When such animals are turned out after wintertime housing or they begin unaccustomed exercise, they may collapse, be unable to walk, or die suddenly.

One status that affects animals even in the tropics is retained afterbirth in mature dairy cows, which may be acquired by Selenium/Vitamin East deficiency.

Zinc
Zinc deficiency causes a chronic, dry, scaly, cracked skin, non-inflammatory in nature and although well recognized in Europe is uncommon in the torrid zone.

Toxic Elements

The most important of these isFluorine.

In express amounts Flourine strengthens teeth and basic. In excessive amounts it causes damage.

Chronic fluorosis is generally seen nether iii conditions:

1. Continuous consumption of high Fluorine mineral supplements.
ii. Drinking water loftier in Fluorine and
iii. Grazing on contaminated feeds close to industrial plants which emit toxic levels of fumes and dust.

Usually plant feeds are not involved in Fluorosis as they have a limited capacity to absorb this chemical element.

In many parts of Kenya borehole water is excessively high in Fluorine.

Toxicity of Fluorine in livestock depends on teh corporeality and elapsing of ingestion, age of the animal, diet, stress factors and individual brute differences.

• If animals are young the teeth may become modified in shape, size and colour.
• The incisors may get pitted, and the molars may show cavaties due to facture or habiliment.
• The jaw and long bones develop exostoses and joints may become thickened causing the animal to become stiff and lame.

To prevent flurosis:

• Make up one's mind the Fluorine content of water and of supplemental phosphates, whish may contain unacceptably high levels of the element.
• Observation of animals to detect early signs of fluorosis.
• If h2o levels are high, y'all can use filters or add fresh slaked lime to the water.
• Watering immature stock on fluorine gratis supplies of water and permitting only adults to drinkable dangerous supplies and rotating between rubber and dangerous h2o every three months may make it possible to utilise otherwise unsuitable land.

Ketosis in Dairy Cows

Introduction

Ketosis is a metabolic disease that can affect dairy cows near ordinarily during the beginning six weeks of lactation.

Ketosis has no local names in E Africa; in English it is also called Acetonemia or Ketonemia.

Crusade

The underlying cause is a combination of loftier free energy requirement at the onset of lactation coupled with too low free energy in the feed (east.1000. poor quality silage, very coarse hay). The volume of feed a cow can eat in a day is limited. If the ingested feed provides less energy than the cow requires the brute runs into a net energy loss that becomes worse over time and the blood sugar level drops. To provide more energy the liver converts body tissue (protein, fat) into extra glucose (sugar). The by-products of this process are ketone bodies, which are toxic and have to be excreted. If the ketone concentration in the blood is too high the cow becomes sick.

Signs and Symptoms

Ketosis affects the highest yielding dairy cows and begins with very mild signs, which are easily disregarded in the get-go. Afflicted animals feed less and also give less milk.  The cow appears sleepy and passes firm feces frequently covered by mucous. If the disease worsens the animal also looses weight apace (called-for its' free energy stores).  Sick cattle may refuse to eat grain, concentrate or dairy flour and try to ingest foreign feed (coarse straw, twigs, soil, aberrant objects).  The fauna stands with a humpback and some develop a distinct fruity to musty smell in their jiff and urine due to the high ketone. Untreated cows can show abnormal beliefs (staggering, circling, head pressing, abiding licking, bellowing - like Rabies!) and become unable to stand up.

Diagnosis

Good observation to observe early symptoms is the nigh important diagnostic tool. In that location is also a simple dip test that detects ketone in the cow'southward urine. It is used past dairy farmers in Europe and N America to exam cattle when they doubtable ketosis.

Handling

In some cattle the reduced milk yield may level out with the low energy in the feed and they do not develop the full symptoms. If better quality feed is provided early, the symptoms will gradually disappear.

Cattle with fully adult ketosis demand urgent treatment otherwise they can die from liver failure. In very acute ketosis cases (can't stand up) it is necessary to give a glucose solution intravenously. In addition the veterinarian can inject cortisone and provide oral substances that provide a lot of free energy (propylenglykol deluge). The most important measure is to bank check and improve the quality of the basic feed that the cow has been eating.

Prevention

High yielding dairy cows are very hard to feed. If you do not always have sufficient amounts of high quality silage or hay on your farm it is better non to brood cattle with too high milk yield (e.1000. pure bred Friesian cows). Grade cattle are much hardier and remain healthy and produce a expert milk fifty-fifty if feed quality is not always perfect (e.g. during dry out season).

It is also of import to feed pregnant cattle well, such that they can build up sufficient energy stores in their trunk to be able to cope with mild ketosis after calving.

Acidosis of the Rumen

Introduction

Rumen acidosis is a fast killing disease in ruminants that is caused past overeating with grains or ground feed.

In English, acidosis of the rumen is as well called lactic acidosis, sugar engorgement or rumen impaction.

Cause

When cattle, goats or sheep accidentally gain access to large amounts of grain or concentrate feed and swallow too much of it the rumen contents turn acid, which tin can rapidly impale the animals.

Signs and Symptoms

Subsequently eating footing feed first signs appear faster than after ingestion of whole grain.

Visible signs announced more or less in the following society:

1. Bloat
2. Pain and kicking against the belly
3. (Sometimes animals that have eaten a lot of grain offset drinking a lot of water)
4. No more feeding or ruminating at all, no rumen contractions
5. Staggering or not moving
6. Lying downward and unable to ascent, completely tedious
7. Shallow rapid breathing
8. High temperature upwards to 41degC (esp. on a hot mean solar day)
9. Diarrhoea, liquid, sour smelling often with undigested grain visible

The larger the corporeality of grain ingested the more than astringent the acidosis is going to be. A cow or goat tin can die already at early stages of the illness. In cattle the fourth dimension between overeating and death is 1 to 3 days, in goats it can exist equally curt as 3 hours. Cattle may improve and then relapse ii-3 days later. Survivors may besides go lame or abort (two weeks later). - Overeating on grain is especially dangerous in animals that feed on pasture and do not normally receive grains or concentrate feed. In pastured animals 10kg of grain ingested over a short time is enough to kill a cow and 1kg can kill a goat.

Diagnosis

The about important is to react promptly when detecting a suddenly severely diseased brute and suspecting overeating with grain. Immediately confirm whether animals on the subcontract have had uncontrolled access to and eaten large amounts of grain or basis feed.

Treatment

Animals with milder acidosis and that are notwithstanding able to stand and walk should be given magnesium hydroxide (400-500gr/cow, iv-5gr/goat) in warm water through the mouth (or by stomach tube). Later on giving the solution, massage the flank to mix the magnesium hydroxide with the rumen contents. If a vet is quickly available he tin can administer a five% sodium bicarbonate solution and electrolytes intravenously. - In animals that show signs of recovery give simply proficient quality hay and no grain at all for iii-4 days.

Severely afflicted animals may die any moment and should exist slaughtered to salvage the meat.

Most animals that relapse after showing temporary improvement also die.

Prevention

Store grains and concentrate feed safely and out of reach for livestock. When supplementing animals with grain start by giving small amounts of grain in the evening after animals return from grazing and gradually increment the amount over 2 weeks.

Bloat

Local names:

Luo: ich-kuot / Embu: nunvita / Gabbra: furfur / Gikuyu: huhita / Kamba: kwimbanywa / Kipsigis: kowiren / Maasai: Embo'ngit, Ediis, empomgit / Maragoli: kuhaata, myika munda/ Meru: mpwna / Samburu: mberini / Somali: bakhakh, dunbudhyo, balao, baalallo, dhibir, dibiyio / Turkana: lotebwo, akitebukin, akiurur / Pokot: lesana /

Other proper noun: Ruminal Tympany

Introduction

With the onset of long rains, livestock keepers, especially caprine animal, sheep and cattle keepers should become enlightened of the dangers of bloat to their livestock. Bloat occurs when there is an sharp nutritional alter in the diet and especially when ruminants feed on lush green pastures. It simply means animals take likewise much gas in their stomach.

Cow with bloat

(c) W. Ayako, KARI Naivasha

X-ray - canis familiaris with bloat

(c) Joel Mills, Wikipedia

How animals get bloat

The rumen of cattle, sheep and goats is similar a large container in which a mixture of partly digested feed and liquid is continuously fermenting, producing large quantities of gas. For case, an average cow tin can produce over a g litres of gas in a day. Some of the gas is removed by absorption into the blood stream but well-nigh of information technology is removed by belching during "cudding". If the gas cannot escape, the rumen literally "blows up" and the animal gets bloat. It can happen when:

• Animals eat too many legumes or too much fresh, lush grass (e.thousand. olenge grass (Luo))
• Animal eats too much grain (e.g. finger millet, Acacia pods)
• Animal eats cassava leaves or peels

Something blocks the passage of food in the stomach or gullet

Types of bloat

At that place are two types of bloat: Frothy Bloat and Free Gas Bloat.

Animals get Frothy Bloat when the rumen becomes full of froth (foam). Several animals in the herd may become this type of bloat at the aforementioned time when they graze on moisture, dark-green pasture mixed with legumes in the field. Foaming substances are found in certain plants such as legumes of which lucerne, clover and young green cereal crops are examples.

Frothy Bloat is due to the product of a stable foam, which traps the normal gases of fermentation in the rumen. Pressure increases because belching cannot occur. Initially the distension of the rumen stimulates rumen movements, which makes the frothiness even worse. Later on because of the amplification there is loss of musculus tone and loss of the rumen'due south ability to move spontaneously, compounding the situation.

Saliva has antifoaming properties. More than saliva is produced when food is eaten slowly than when information technology is eaten quickly. Succulent forages are eaten more rapidly and digested more quickly and as a result less anti-foaming saliva is produced. Grazing on young, lush, delicious, rapidly growing pastures with a high concentration of soluble proteins is near conducive to bloat, every bit is the stage of growth of the establish, non its caste of wetness.

Causes of Frothy Bloat

• The primary cause of frothy bloat appears to be a change in the composition of sure pasture plants, the change beingness 1 that facilitates the development of a stable foam that in turn prevents belching
• Frothy Bloat normally happens at the get-go of wet season when the nutrition of grazing animals abruptly changes from dry feeds to moisture lush pastures that contains some legumes.
• Animals likewise become Frothy Bloat when they feed on ripe fruits or other feeds that ferment easily.
• Some poisonous plants can cause sudden and severe bloat.
• A sudden change in the type of nutrient tin can also cause Frothy Bloat.

Frothy bloat can also occur in feedlots with insufficient roughage, or food too finely ground. This leads to a shortage of rumen-stimulating roughage, and prevents the rumen's ability to move spontaneously and hinders belching and release of gas.

Free Gas Bloat is unremarkably due to physical obstruction of the oesophagus, ofttimes by a foreign torso such equally a potato, avocado, apple etc. Grain overload leading to stopping of of normal rhythmic contractions of the rumen wall tin can also cause this type of bloat as tin can unusual posture, especially lying downward, as may occur in a cow affected by milk fever. This blazon of bloat normally only affects one or two animals in the herd at the same time, not several equally in the case of Frothy Bloat. As the name suggests, in this blazon of bloat the gas lies above the food in the rumen and is not mixed with it, as it is in Frothy Bloat.

Signs of Bloat

• The left side of the belly backside the ribs becomes very distended and very tense, like a drum. Afterwards the right side besides becomes distended
• The animal stops eating
• The fauna may grunt and have difficulty in breathing
• There may be mouth animate
• The animal may stamp its feet on the footing
• Sometimes green froth comes out of the oral fissure and olfactory organ
• There may be extension of the tongue from the oral fissure
• Diarrhoea is common in cases of Frothy Bloat
• Animals may collapse and die after only an hour or and so

There is oftentimes frequent urination

Prevention - Control - Treatment

Prevention of bloat

ane. Feed the animals with dry grass or hay to fill them up before you turn them out onto new wet lush pasture. For this to exist effective the hay or dry grass should grade at least ane third of the diet.

ii. Do non water the animals just before you put them on to wet pasture

3. Do non graze the animals on wet green pasture early in the morning. Wait until the pasture has been dried up past the estrus of the morning sunday

4. You should gradually increase the grazing hours of the animals on wet green pasture over the outset week. Do not put the animals out all solar day and go out them at that place.

5. Avoid abrupt changes in the diet of animals and e'er give newly introduced feeds in modest quantities.

half dozen. If possible attempt to strip graze animals to reduce intake and to maintain grass authorisation in the stretch of grass. The pasture ideally should have at least l% grass.

seven. During the take a chance period the continual administration of anti-foaming agents such as Stop Bloat should be considered.

8. Watch animals closely at all times during the adventure flow.

9. Keep anti-foaming agents close at hand during the risk period.

10. In feedlot or nothing grazing situations rations must contain 10-15% chopped roughage mixed into the consummate nutrition. This should exist a cereal, grain straw, grass hay or equivalent. Grains should be rolled or cracked, non finely basis.

Treatment of bloat

Depending on the blazon of bloat, several methods of treatment can be applied:

• Exercise non feed the animal for a few hours and make the animal motion around (remember it can die within 1 hour if the bloat is astringent)
• For less severe cases of frothy bloat, give 500ml to large animals and 100ml to modest animals of any edible vegetable oil, solid cooking oil, butter oil, ghee or milk orally (by rima oris). Non-toxic mineral oils tin can also be used effectively.
• Severe bloat is an emergency and rapid action is required to save the animal'southward life. In life-threatening cases where the beast can not breathe, an emergency rumenotomy may exist necessary. Puncture advisedly the pare and the rumen of the animal on the left flunk to let the gas out. Apply a pocketknife or whatsoever abrupt thing simply the best instrument to apply is the trochar and cannula. The hole should be made at a hands' width behind the last rib and a hand abroad from the edge of the backbone. Push hard considering the skin is very tough. Gas and froth will come out when you make the hole. It helps to put a tube or cannula through the pigsty to proceed the hole open. There will be an explosive release of gas and rumen contents. Recall that in severe cases if this is not done the animal will dice. And so Do It  (for more information on how to utilise a trocar please also see Tools for livestock)
• Pour some vegetable oil into the rumen through the pigsty to assist stop further gas or froth formation. Complications are rare. Call a veterinarian to nourish to a punctured abdomen or a difficult example of bloat.
• Another aid is to necktie a stick in the oral fissure to stimulate the flow of saliva, which is alkaline and helps to denature the foam.
• Forceful walking may aid to coalesce the foam into larger bubbling and stimulate belching.
• Give bloat medicine such as the following: Finish Bloat, Bloat Guard or Birp once daily for 3 days

In cases of Complimentary Gas Bloat due to a foreign body lodged in the oesophagus, it may have to be dislodged by using a probang or stomach tube, for which the services of a veterinarian volition be required.

Mutual traditional practice

Some of the following practices may take some merit in case of emergencies where no vegetable oil is available:

• Gabbra: Mix 4 teaspoons of laundry detergent with 1 litre of milk. Drench ane litre for an adult cow (0.5 litre for sheep and goats)
• Turkana: Mix 500g Magadi soda with 1 litre of h2o. Stir well and drench adult cattle with the mixture. For calves, goats and sheep apply 0.5 litre. For large camels requite 2 litres.
• Luo: Mix 0.5 litre of paraffin oil with a handful of olulusia (Vernonia amygdalina) leaves and 2 spoons of salt. Drench with half this amount.
• Kamba: Mix a handful of forest ash with 1 soda bottle (300ml) of water. Sieve and drench adult cattle with this amount. Use half the corporeality for calves, sheep and goats.

  (Source:ITDG and IIRR 1996)

Review Procedure

1. William Ayako, KARI Naivasha. Aug - Dec 2009
2. Hugh Cran, Practicing Veterinarian Nakuru. March - Oct 2010
3. Review workshop team. Nov ii - 5 2010
4. Jan 2013: Review by Gidi Smolders orgANIMprove
5. September 2013: Improver of Acidosis, Ketosis by Dr Mario Younan, VSF-M Republic of kenya/Somalia (Oct 2017)
6. October 2013: Addition of Bloat by Infonet (Oct 2017)

• For Infonet: Anne Bruntse, Dr Hugh Cran
• For KAR: Dr Mario Younan KARI/KASAL, William Ayako - Fauna scientist, KARI Naivasha
• For Department of Veterinary Services: Dr Josphat Muema - District Veterinarian Officeholder Isiolo, Dr Charity Nguyo - Kabete Extension Division, Mr Patrick Muthui - Senior Livestock Health Banana Isiolo, Ms Emmah Njeri Njoroge - Senior Livestock Wellness Banana Machakos
• Pastoralists: Dr Eyra Saitoti Kotonto - Private practioner, Abdi Gollo H.O.D. Segera Ranch
• Farmers: Benson Chege Kuria and Francis Maina Gilgil and John Mutisya Machakos
• Linguistic communication and format: Ballad Gachiengo

Data Source Links

• Hairdresser, J., Forest, D.J. (1976) Livestock management for East Africa: Edwar Arnold (Publishers) Ltd 25 Hill Street London WIX 8LL. ISBN: 071310063X
• Blood, D.C., Radostits, O.M. and Henderson, J.A. (1983) Veterinary Medicine - A textbook of the Diseases of Cattle, Sheep, Goats and Horses, Sixth Edition - Bailliere Tindall London. ISBN: 0702012866
• Blowery, R.W. (1986). A Veterinarian book for dairy farmers: Farming press express Wharfedale road, Ipswich, Suffolk IPI 4LG
• Force, B. (1999). Where the is no Vet. CTA, Wageningen, The Netherlands. ISBN 978-0333-58899-4.
• Hall, H.T.B. (1995). Diseases and parasites of Livestock in the torrid zone. Second Edition. Longman Group UK. ISBN 0582775140
• Hunter, A. (1996). Animal health: Full general principles. Book 1 (Tropical Agriculturalist) - Macmillan Education Printing. ISBN: 0333612027
• Hunter, A. (1996). Brute health: Specific Diseases. Volume 2 (Tropical Agrculturalist) - Macmillan Education Printing. ISBN: 0-333-57360-ix
• Pagot, J. (1992). Animate being Production in the Tropics and Subtropics. MacMillan Education Express London. ISBN 0-333-53818-8

yamamotonothem.blogspot.com

Source: https://infonet-biovision.org/AnimalHealth/Nutritional-Deficiencies-new

Share this post