Nutrition in Pregnancy

Question 1

What is ME measured in and how much energy does a mars bar contain?

Answer 1

Joules (energy needed to raise the temperature of 1ml water by 1deg)
1 calorie = 4.2J
1MJ = 1,000,000J
Mars bar = 1MJ

Question 2

How much energy does a cow need to make 1L of milk?

Answer 2

5MJ (higher for jerseys etc)

Question 3

What is the maintainance requirement of a 700kg cow?

Answer 3

70MJ/day

Question 4

What are the energy requirements of a dairy cow during pregnancy?

Answer 4

0.5MJ/day month 2
35MJ/day full term
44MJ/day overdue

Question 5

How can energy requirements be approximated?

Answer 5

Maintainence + activity + milk yield + pregnancy + growth

Question 6

What age do cows continue growing up to?

Answer 6

5 years (lactation 3)

Question 7

How does weight loss affect energy requirements?

Answer 7

loss of 1kg/day contributes 35MJ energy

Question 8

What is the main source of energy in a cows diet?

Answer 8

cereals

Question 9

What ME does grass and silage have?

Answer 9

10+ MJ/kg DM

Question 10

How does VFI affect energy metabolism?

Answer 10

At peak energy requirement cow cannot physically eat enough to maintain requirements (peak lactation)
- must lose weight to free up energy

Question 11

How does VFI vary throughout cows life?

Answer 11

• Greatly reduced around calving (pain) late pregnancy and early lactation
• greatly reduced in fat cows

Question 12

How long is the ewes gestation?

Answer 12

144d (20 weeks)

Question 13

How should diet be managed around time of tupping?

Answer 13

• high plane of nutrition
• no abrupt changes
• kale and rape may reduce fertility
• extra feed for young ewes

Question 14

When can PD be performed in sheep? How does it differ to cattle

Answer 14

from 40d gestation (ultrasound)
often at 11-15 weeks
> find no. of foetuses not just preg/non-preg and feed accordingly

Question 15

When should concentrate feed amounts be changed during pregnancy?

Answer 15

6 weeks before lambing, 4 weeks before lambing, 2 weeks before lambing - change different amounts depending on no. foetuses

Question 16

Should larger sheep be fed more or less sduring pregnancy?

Answer 16

More

Question 17

What will excesive concentrates cause?

Answer 17

Acidosis

Question 18

Should feeding different amounts for different no. lambs be continued post-partum?

Answer 18

Yes during lactation

Question 19

What is pregnancy toxaemia? What is this also known as?

Answer 19

• Twin lamb disease
• excessive enrgy demand from foetus -> NEB
• stressor eg. cold weather, moving, transport, feed change tips ewe over the edge
• > hypoglycaemia and ketosis
• neurological signs, recumbent

Question 20

Tx of pregnancy toxaemia?

Answer 20

> Induce abortion with coritcosteroids
- though lamb then wasted and ^ risk metritis in ewe
get energy into ewe
- I/v glucose
- oral propylene glycol
- oral electrolyte carbohydrate source eg. liquid lectade best Tx

Question 21

Is pregnancy toxaemia seen in cattle?

Answer 21

• much less commonly
• usually late lactation with twins
• Low BCS
• usually beef cows not dairy
• insufficient supplementary feed and stress

Question 22

What BCS should a diary cow calve at?

Answer 22

3.0

Question 23

What BCS should a cow be dried off at?

Answer 23

3.0

Question 24

When should weight loss be instigated?

Answer 24

NOT DRY PERIOD!!! VERY DANGEROUS!!!

- late lactation best time

Question 25

What is fatty liver disease? What is the more severe form of this pathoglogy called?

Answer 25

• fat cow syndrome more severe (recumbent, innappetant, life threatening)
• fat mobilisation around calving due to hormonal influence (last 2 weeks preg and early lactation)
• ^ free fatty acids (NEFAs) normal but if excessive this is bad
• v NEFAs wanted
• fat processed by liver and gets deposited
• > immunosuppression
• RFM
• endometritis
• infertility
• ketosis
• mastitis

Question 26

What are the 5 risk factors for severe fatty liver disease or fat cow syndrome?

Answer 26

1. fat dry cow
2. fat cows at calving v appetite (encourage to eat)
3. cows losing weight in dry period
4. dry cows sudden change of diet at calving
5. cows losing excessive weight post-partum

Question 27

How should fat cows be treated around calving?

Answer 27

Encourage to eat and minimise weight loss at this time

Question 28

What is a transition diet?

Answer 28

Introduced 2 weeks pre-calving

• similar to lactating diet
• but feed less
• ensures no sudden change of diet at calving

Question 29

What are the 2 types of protein?

Answer 29

> RDP rumen digestable protein
- broken down by microbes in rumen
- ammonia
- energy needed to allow microbes to break down
- carbon fragments
> UDP undegradable or bypass protein
- more expensive
- formaldehyde treated food 
- used to be fish meal