Nutrition in Pregnancy Flashcards
Why is moisture in feed important?
Affects palatability
How man MJ of energy are required to make 1L of milk?
5MJ/L
Energy requirements for a pregnant cow?
Month 2 = 0.5MJ/day Month 4 = 1.6MJ/day Month 6 = 5MJ/day Full term = 35MJ/day Overdue = 44MJ/day
How much does weight loss contribute to energy requirement in cows?
Loss of 1KG/day contributed 35MJ
What is the main source of energy for cows?
Cereals
ME of grass silage?
10-11 MJ/kg dry matter
What are the sources of moderate energy for a cow?
TMR Maize silage Haylage Good pasture Good hay
How is VFI affected around calving?
Greatly reduced
What is the gestation period of a ewe? Do changes need to be made to the feed? What affects pregnancy rates?
144days (20wks)
No abrupt changes, however ewe lambs and ewes which have had one lamb previously will still be growing so should be in a separate group to receive supplementary feed.
Kale and rape may reduce fertility
When can you make a pregnancy diagnosis in sheep?
What is an important factor with regards to feeding during pregnancy?
From 40 days gestation however diagnosis is often made by ultrasound at 11-15 weeks
Important to know number of foetuses
How does supplementary feed vary depending on the weight of a pregnant ewe?
Heavier ewes means more supplementary feed should be given as lambs will be larger
What are six basic considerations with regards to feeding sheep?
- Too much concentrates will cause acidosis
- VFI of the sheep is limited and may not be able to eat all food given
- VFI is reduced around lambing
- How much is actually being fed may not equal how much is eaten
- Need to monitor BCS to check feed is right
- After lambing need to monitor the feed depedning on lambs/milk production
How can you treat pregnancy toxaemia in ewes?
- Reduce energy demand
- Induce abortion - Provide an energy source
- IV glucose
- Oral propylene glycol
- Oral electrolyte carbohydrate source
What is the difference between changes in BCS for diary and beef cattle?
Diary cattle should vary as little as possible whereas beef cattle should be decreased by no more than 0.5
What is fat cow syndrome?
An excessive amount of fat storage in the liver. Around calving there is a normal tendency for fat mobilisation due to hormonal influences causing an increase in NEFAs and storage of fat in the liver, “fatty liver”.
What are the clinical effects of fatty liver?
Immunosuppresion RFMs Endometritis Infertility Ketosis Mastitis
What are the clinical effects of fat cow syndrome?
Recumbency
Inappetance
Poor prognosis
Life threatening to cows
What are the risk factors for fat cow syndrome?
Fat dry cows:
- More likely to already have fatty liver
- When put on diet will mobilise a lot of fat, bad idea in dry period
- At calving will have lower appetite so will mobilise fat
Normal cows:
- Sudden change in diet so the rumen can not adjust quickly enough
- Cow losing excessive weight during the postpartum period so cannot keep up with the NEB
What is a transition diet?
Over a two week period before calving slowly introduce a diet with more metabolisable energy, but try to keep it with the same components to prevent rumen maladjustment
What are the two different types of protein?
Rumen degradable protein forming ammonia, energy and carbon fragments. Too much protein or not enough will increase blood urea which can affect fertility
Rumen non-degradable protein which is broken down in the abomasum, either formalin treated protein or fish meal however this is more expensive
What is an important alteration in minerals for the cow?
Low calcium during the dry period and high calcium during lactation so metabolic pathway is not suppressed by a large amount of calcium when it is not required during the dry period
