Thursday, April 18, 2019

Effects of Lung Consolidation on First-Lactation Milk,
Age at First Calving and Survival

Everyone knows that having respiratory illness is not good for calves. This study followed calves into their first lactation to quantify the effects of lung consolidation [that is what happens when calves have a bad case of pneumonia] on :
  1. age at first calving
  2. survival to end of first lactation
  3. first-lactation 305-d milk production
"A total of 215 female calves from 3 dairy herds in southwestern Ontario were enrolled and assessed weekly during their first 8 weeks of life for evidence of lung consolidation  using thoracic ultrasonography." They defined positive cases when the consolidated area in the lung exceeded 3cm - think of 2 1¢ coins side-by-side.

Results:
  1. age at first calving - no effect
  2. survival to end of first lactation - no effect
  3. first lactation 305-d milk production DECREASE OF 1,155 POUNDS OR 525 kg.

Reference: Dunn, T.R. and Others, "The effect of lung consolidation, as determined by ultrasonography, on first-lactation milk production in Holstein dairy calves." Journal of Dairy Science 101:5404-5410 (2018).

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