NUTRITION ▶▶▶
Fighting mastitis with feed strategies
Mastitis continues to be a problem for dairy producers as it afflicts 15–20% of cows worldwide. We look at controlling mastitis through feed strategies.
BY SALAH H. ESMAIL M
Inadequate cal- cium to phos- phorus ratio in rations results in problems with milk fever at calving.
astitis causes economic loss due to treatment costs, lost quarters, potential animal deaths and, most importantly, discarded milk. Man- agement strategies can have a large impact on
the prevention of mastitis. However, there is growing evi- dence that nutrition can have significant effects on the im- mune system, thereby affecting infection rate and severity of mastitis. The following is a review of the nutritional factors to be considered for the control of mastitis.
Feeding of silage and hay Poor quality silage negatively affects the immune system of the animal. The overheated proteins and sugars may kill the white blood cells protecting the udder. Cows that are fed on hay and grain have greater resistance to several pathogens than cows fed on poorly fermented silage. Pseudomonas and Proteus can survive even the high temperatures produced in silage. Silage contaminated with these microbes may then be a source of mastitis. Even mouldy hay and mycotoxins may
destroy white blood cells and therefore weaken the immune system.
Alfalfa and other legumes Legumes, particularly alfalfa, are high in oestrogenic sub- stances whose concentration varies depending on plant ma- turity. Turning these legumes into silage does not reduce the oestrogenic properties that are responsible for fostering mas- titis. Intake of a large quantity of oestrogenic legume encour- ages premature development of the udder tissue and also increases the incidence of environmental mastitis.
Dietary energy It is suggested that cows suffering from mastitis should be fed reduced quantities of concentrates. In a study conducted on 1,038 first-lactation cows and 572 cows of successive lac- tations, it was reported that when the cow rations contained 25% concentrates rather than 40%, the incidence of mastitis was 7% compared to 36% for first-lactation cows and 19% compared to 37% for other cows. The same study also com- pared different energy levels in rations. A ration with high en- ergy content had increased chances of mastitis in the first lactation, while it had the opposite effect on the dry cows.
Protein supplement The immune response can include antibody production and cellular proliferation, both of which require protein. In sup- port of this view, beneficial effects on the immune function have been obtained when infected cows were infused with 300g of glutamine per day. It is, however, argued that protein deficiency is short-lived because: 1. Protein intake by cows can be increased easily by increas- ing the concentration of protein in the diet, and 2. Labile body protein reserves are depleted quickly and once they are exhausted, milk production will decrease to match protein supply.
Calcium to phosphorus ratio Inadequate calcium to phosphorus ratio in rations results in problems with milk fever at calving. If the diet is lacking cal- cium, up to 50% of animals will develop coliform mastitis a few hours after calving. This hypocalcaemia which develops during dry periods generally results from inadequate calcium to phosphorous ratio in rations.
22 ▶DAIRY GLOBAL | Volume 7, No. 5, 2020
PHOTO: HENK RISWICK
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