Deutscher Tropentag, October 9 - 11, 2002 in Kassel-Witzenhausen "Challenges to Organic Farming and Sustainable Land Use in the Tropics and Subtropics"

Ketonuria in Holstein Friesian Milking Cows in Chiang Mai, Thailand

¹Chiang Mai University, Department of Animal Science, Thailand
²Georg-August University Göttingen, Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Germany

Abstract

Ketonuria tests on Holstein Friesian milking cows were performed at a farm in Chiangmai, Thailand.

Test 1: 20 cows were tested for ketonuria at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 weeks postpartum. 45% of the cows showed negative results and 78% of these were low milkers (cumulative 14-week milk production, < 2000 kg). Cows testing positive for ketonuria were more at week 2 and 4 than at week 6, 8, 10 and 12 postpartum (30, 30, 5, 10, 10 and 15% respectively). There was no ketonuria detected at 14 weeks postpartum. Fifty percent of ketonuria cows at weeks 2 and 4 postpartum were high milkers (cumulative 14-week milk production, 3001-4000 kg). Variations in the number of ketonuria cows from week 2 to 14 postpartum among low, moderate (cumulative 14-week milk production, 2001-3000 kg) and high milkers were not significant (χ² = 7.57, p>0.05). There was no correlation between ketonuria cows and milk production (contingency coefficient : C = 0.78, p>0.05).

Test 2: 24 cows were tested monthly for ketonuria at 3 periods postpartum: 0-4, 5-8 and 9-12 weeks. 62.5% of the cows were negative at all testing periods. There were more cows with ketonuria at 0-4 weeks than at 5-8 and 9-12 weeks postpartum (21, 17 and 17% respectively). The correlation between ketonuria occurrence and milk production at 0-4 and 9-12 weeks sampling period were significant (p<0.05, r = 0.41 and 0.44 respectively) but not at 5-8 weeks postpartum (r = 0.39, p>0.05).

Contact Address: Udo ter Meulen, Georg-August University Göttingen, Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Kellnerweg 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, e-mail: umeulengwdg.de