Content
Hypotrophy in calves is a common non-contagious disease that occurs for many reasons. Malnutrition is most common on large dairy farms, where the owner's main concern is obtaining milk. Calves on such farms are treated as a by-product of production. If a cow gave milk for the rest of her life after one calving, she would only be covered for the first time.
But the lactation period in cows is limited in time. The animal will produce milk again only after calving. A diet that provides the maximum amount of milk and an artificial reduction in the dry period on a dairy farm contributes to the birth of calves with malnutrition.
This disease is a scourge not only of large dairy farms. Private owners may also experience malnutrition, since the causes of the disease are quite numerous.
What is hypotrophy
The prefix “hypo-” means a lack of something when it comes to the health of a living being. But if in everyday life the terms “hypovitaminosis” and “avitaminosis” are used as equivalent, then it is no longer possible to say “atrophy” instead of “hypotrophy”. The first term usually refers to the degradation of soft tissue due to some disease. Atrophy can occur at any age.
The term “hypertrophy” is used in the case of the birth of a weak baby with a lack of weight. With moderate malnutrition, the calf weighs 25-30% less than normotrophics, that is, individuals with normal weight. With severe malnutrition, underweight can reach 50%.
After birth, malnutrition cannot develop. But due to the similarity of symptoms, casein protein disease, which occurs a few days after birth and has a similar etiology, is often mistaken for malnutrition. Video shows an autopsy of a calf with caseinoprotein disease. There is usually no need for this procedure unless the owner has deliberately decided to starve them to death.
Reasons for the development of malnutrition in calves
Among the reasons for the development of malnutrition, the first place is a violation of the diet of a pregnant cow. In second place is lack of movement and poor living conditions. If kept improperly, metabolism deteriorates, which leads to malnutrition in newborns. Excessive exploitation of a dairy cow and artificial reduction of the dry period is the third cause of malnutrition.
Other reasons are possible, but they are more likely to be of a statistical error nature:
- inbreeding;
- infections: in this case, abortion of the fetus or the birth of a malformation occurs much more often;
- pathologies of pregnancy: as well as infections, usually lead to abortion or missed abortion.
Early mating of a cow, at 8-9 months instead of 15-16, also usually leads not to malnutrition, but to the birth of a premature calf or death of the uterus during calving.
Symptoms of malnutrition
The main external symptom of the disease is lack of weight.In addition, in hypotrophic calves the following is observed:
- wrinkled, dry, inelastic skin;
- lack or absence of subcutaneous fat;
- frequent, shallow breathing;
- weak pulse;
- pale or bluish mucous membranes;
- muffled heart sounds;
- body temperature is low or at the lower limit of normal;
- cold lower legs;
- absent or mild pain sensitivity.
A normal calf is on its feet within an hour of calving. For a hypotrophic person, this time lasts from 2.5 to 3 hours. Sometimes it can take 6-7 hours.
The hypotrophic child quickly gets tired, trying to suckle his mother. Pain sensitivity is checked by pinching the croup. In this case, the normotrophic person jumps away. The hypotrophic person has no reaction.
Treatment of malnutrition in calves
Hypotrophic – a full-term calf with a lack of weight. Treatment of such cubs consists of timely feeding and an additional dose of vitamins and minerals.
Since the body temperature of such newborns is low, the first step is to place them in a warm place so that they do not freeze. If the calf cannot suckle on its own, colostrum is given to it often, but in small portions.
On farms, to treat malnutrition, calves are injected subcutaneously with the blood of a healthy cow. But studies conducted at the Krasnodar Veterinary Research Institute showed that the use of complex vitamins is more effective.
Calves with malnutrition who received the complex of Abiopeptide and Dipromonium-M weighed 21.7% more than the rest of the animals a month later. The control group received a treatment practiced on factory farms: injections of the blood of healthy cows.
Recovery of calves from the experimental group that received complex drugs, vitamins and glucose occurred on average on the 26th day. The safety of animals in this group was 90%: 20% higher than in the control group. Resistance to diseases of young animals in calves of the experimental group was also higher than in animals in the control group.
It is up to the cow owner to decide which treatment method to choose. The old method with blood injection is cheaper, but more troublesome and the result will be worse. The new method can be daunting due to its high cost: a bottle of Abiopeptide costs from 700 rubles, and Dipromonium-M must be prescribed by a veterinarian. In case of overdose, Dipromonium can cause poisoning.
Prognosis and prevention
The prognosis for malnutrition in calves is favorable. If treatment is started immediately, the cub will make a full recovery within a month.
But malnutrition cannot be avoided without consequences. A calf born with malnutrition will forever remain smaller compared to normotrophic individuals. The owner of such a calf loses several kilograms of meat from the bull and the opportunity to keep the heifer for breeding or for sale. This does not include significant labor costs in the first month of a calf’s life.
Since the main cause of malnutrition is an inadequate diet of a pregnant cow, disease prevention lies in proper feeding. Pregnancy lasts on average 9.5 months. Active fetal growth begins in the last trimester. It is during this period that malnutrition develops due to improper livestock management.
This same period is called dry period. The cow no longer gives milk, directing all the forces of her body to the development of the fetus.If the dry period is shortened or the diet is inadequate, the fetus does not receive enough of the nutrients it needs. It is these calves that are born hypotrophic.
Prevention here is quite simple:
- do not shorten the duration of the dry period;
- provide a sufficient amount of protein in the diet: 110-130 g per 1 feed. units, as well as a sufficient amount of vitamins, minerals and easily digestible carbohydrates;
- monitor the normal sugar-protein ratio, 0.9:1.2, adding molasses and root vegetables to the feed;
- limit silage, completely eliminating it 2 weeks before calving;
- exclude stillage, spent grain and sour pulp from the diet;
- do not feed spoiled food;
- Provide animals with daily exercise.
2-3 days before calving, concentrates are excluded from the diet. This will not affect the presence or absence of malnutrition in any way, but will contribute to problem-free calving.
An approximate diet during the dry period should include:
- 25-35% hay and grass meal;
- 25-35% concentrates;
- 30-35% high-quality haylage and silage;
- 8-10% root vegetables.
This diet has an optimal ratio of all nutrients, which reduces the chances of the calf developing malnutrition.
Conclusion
Hypotrophy in calves today is a common occurrence even in beef cattle. On farms where livestock are raised, the percentage of calves with this disease can reach 30%. And the cause of malnutrition in this case most often also lies in a violation of the maintenance regime and an inadequate diet. A private owner can usually avoid the birth of a weak calf from a dairy cow by following the rules of housing and feeding.
