Animal health considerations during a prolonged housing period

George Ramsbottom, John Mee, Teagasc

As a result of the prolonged period of housing, dairy cattle need to be monitored closely for the following:

• Poor cow welfare – extreme loss in body condition, overcrowding and lameness: get a fresh pair of eyes (e.g. local vet or advisor) to look over the herd and advise on practical responses.
• Mastitis; Monitor SCC results closely. All cows should be pre-stripped at each milking to ensure early detection of mastitis. Cows with clinical mastitis should be treated promptly.
• Acidosis: Where greater than normal levels of concentrates are required because of a fodder shortage, slowly increase the level of meals fed and where more than 6 kg of concentrate is required daily, offer a third feed around mid-day.  This will reduce the risk of acidosis, laminitis and displaced abomasum occurring.  Feed a buffer such as sodium bicarbonate (200 g/head/day) or AcidBuf if the forage is less than 50% of the total diet.  
• Lameness: Monitor the cows gait and stance closely.  Identify lame cows for prompt examination/hoof treatment to minimise the impact of lameness on milk production and reproductive performance.
• Calf scours and pneumonia: prolonged housing of dairy calves leaves them at greater risk of acquiring scours or pneumonia, particularly in overstocked or poorly ventilated accommodation. Monitor carefully and provide adequate bedding and ventilation, a run out area or turn calves out to grass at the earliest opportunity.  

Where animal health or welfare may be compromised by prolonged housing/fodder shortages talk to your local vet and advisor to prevent serious short-term (e.g. mortalities) and/or long-term (e.g. poor reproductive performance) consequences.