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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Ruminant Diseases and Immunology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #187394
Title: INCIDENCE OF SUBCLINICAL KETOSIS IN COWS SUPPLEMENTED WITH A MONENSIN CONTROLLED-RELEASE CAPSULE IN HOLSTEIN CATTLE, FLORIDA, USA

Author
item MELENDEZ, P - UNIV OF FLORIDA
item Goff, Jesse
item RISCO, C - UNIV OF FLORIDA
item ARCHBALD, L - UNIV OF FLORIDA
item LITTELL, R - UNIV OF FLORIDA
item DONOVAN, G - UNIV OF FLORIDA

Submitted to: Preventive Veterinary Medicine
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/19/2005
Publication Date: 1/16/2006
Citation: Melendez, P., Goff, J.P., Risco, C.A., Archbald, L.F., Littell, R., Donovan, G.A. 2006. Incidence of subclinical ketosis in cows supplemented with a monensin controlled-release capsule in Holstein cattle, Florida, USA. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 73(1):33-42.

Interpretive Summary: Ketosis is a severe metabolic disorder affecting about 6-8% of all dairy cows each year. Sub-clinical ketosis has been reported in as many as half of cows in some studies. The disorder is caused by a lack of ability of the cow to maintain adequate levels of sugar (glucose) in her blood while she is producing large amounts of milk. Monensin is a compound which can increase the amount of glucose derived from feedstuffs and has the potential to help prevent ketosis. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a monensin controlled-release capsule on the proportion of cows with sub-clinical ketosis. Cows (N = 150) were treated with monensin throughout the dry period and early lactation or were left untreated (N=150 cows). In early lactation milk was obtained from each cow and tested for the presence of hydroxybutyrate - an indicator of abnormal fat metabolism that increases in cows with sub-clinical and clinical ketosis. The incidence of sub-clinical ketosis in the untreated control cows was 26%. Monensin treatment reduced the incidence to 14.5%. Monensin delivered by a controlled release capsule is an effective weapon for the prevention of ketosis.

Technical Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a monensin controlled-release capsule on the proportion of cows with subclinical ketosis (SK). During July to August 2001, 300 cows dried-off 50-70 days before expected parturition were randomly assigned to either a treatment (n = 150, oral capsule, 335mg/d of monesin for 95 d) or control group (no capsule, n = 150). At 14 days postpartum, a milk sample was obtained and evaluated for beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) using a semi-quantitative ketone test strip. In a sub-sample of 50 cows per group a blood sample was taken and analyzed for BHBA using an ELISA kit. Milk BHBA >/= 200mumol/L was used as the cut-off value for diagnosis of SK. The incidence of SK based on the milk test was statistically different between groups (P 0.05). However, for each incremental increase in serum BHBA of 0.1 mmol/L occurrence of SK increased 52% (OR = 1.52; 1.21-1.91; 95% CI).