Ketosis is a metabolic disease that can affect dairy cows most commonly during the first six weeks of lactation.

Ketosis is called Acetonemia or Ketonemia.

 How it comes about?

At the time of calving and onset of lactation, the animal's nutritive and metabolic requirements are increased about 100 percent—partly because of the loss of sugar, protein, and fat in the milk and partly because of the increased metabolic work associated with the production and secretion of milk.

The volume of feed a cow can eat in a day is limited. If the dietary intake is adequate, the animal remains normal. If the ingested feed provides less energy than the cow requires the animal 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.

If the diet is too poor to maintain approximately normal levels of blood glucose and liver glycogen, an imbalance in metabolism develops. This upset is indicated by the existing anorexia (loss of appetite), hypoglycemia, and depletion of liver glycogen. In response to these disturbances, compensatory metabolic adjustments are initiated and tend to correct the imbalance.

Complicated or secondary ketosis may occur in varying intensities in lactating or non-lactating cattle and include cases in which the metabolic disturbance is precipitated or aggravated by infections, exposure, foreign bodies (hardware) in the rumen or reticulum (traumatic gastritis), mastitis, cystic ovaries, vaginitis, displacement of the abomasum, indigestion and starvation.

Signs and Symptoms of Ketosis

Most often than not, ketosis affects the highest yielding dairy cows and begins with very mild signs, which are easily overlooked in the beginning.

Signs

  1. Affected animals feed less.
  2. Decreased milk yield. 
  3. The cow appears sleepy.
  4. passes firm feces often covered by mucous.
  5. Loss of weight rapidly. 
  6. Sick cattle may refuse to eat grain, concentrate or dairy flour.
  7. The animal stands with a humpback
  8. Some develop a distinct fruity to musty smell in their breath and urine due to the high ketone.
  9. Untreated cows can show abnormal behavior such as circling, head pressing, constant licking, bellowing, sucking, biting, salivating, and hyperesthesia of the skin.
  10. Inability to stand up.
  11. The manner of walking of the animal is often staggering, swaying, and listless.  

Treatment of Ketosis

If better quality feed is provided early, the symptoms will gradually disappear.

Cattle with fully developed ketosis need urgent treatment otherwise they can die from liver failure. In very ketosis cases (can't stand up) it is necessary to give a glucose solution intravenously. The most important measure is to check and improve the quality of the basic feed that the cow has been eating.

Consult your veterinarian who will provide oral substances that provide a lot of energy.

 Prevention of Ketosis

Feed pregnant cattle well, such that they can build up sufficient energy stores in their body to enable them cope with mild ketosis after calving.

Author; Dr. Paul R. N. Kangethe (BVM, UoN)

Email; [email protected]


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