Satellite Symposium 2: Silage
Description
Ketosis in dairy cows is due to high levels of circulating ketone bodies in blood (Duffiel, 2000). In early lactation, the capacity of voluntary dry matter intake does not allow dairy cows to cover the total energy requirements for maintenance and production, and then the body reserves are mobilised. However, the amounts of fatty acids that can be metabolised in the liver are limited, later they are converted to ketone bodies (Tveit et al., 1992). During forage ensiling, acetic and lactic fermentations only are desirable, but frequently butyric and alcoholic fermentations appear. When the animals ingest these silages, the butyric acid is metabolised to ketone bodies (Chalupa, 1974). The ketosis problems could be due to both causes simultaneously. The objective of this paper was to establish the incidence of subclinical ketosis in dairy herds of Asturias (Spain) and its relationship with the nutritive and fermentative characteristics of silages used in the ration.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Feeding with Badly Preserved Silages and Occurrence of Subclinical Ketosis in Dairy Cows
Ketosis in dairy cows is due to high levels of circulating ketone bodies in blood (Duffiel, 2000). In early lactation, the capacity of voluntary dry matter intake does not allow dairy cows to cover the total energy requirements for maintenance and production, and then the body reserves are mobilised. However, the amounts of fatty acids that can be metabolised in the liver are limited, later they are converted to ketone bodies (Tveit et al., 1992). During forage ensiling, acetic and lactic fermentations only are desirable, but frequently butyric and alcoholic fermentations appear. When the animals ingest these silages, the butyric acid is metabolised to ketone bodies (Chalupa, 1974). The ketosis problems could be due to both causes simultaneously. The objective of this paper was to establish the incidence of subclinical ketosis in dairy herds of Asturias (Spain) and its relationship with the nutritive and fermentative characteristics of silages used in the ration.
