A great team effort resulted in the release of KetoMonitor yesterday, a tool that provides a herd-level ketosis prevalence indicator using data collected during monthly milk testing. This tool will aid producers in making critical nutrition and management decisions to improve milk production and animal health. See the “On-Farm Resources” tab above and AgSourceKetoMonitor for more information.
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Research has shown that ketosis (clinical and subclincial) affects 40 to 60% of dairy cows, at an average cost of $289 per case. Cows with ketosis not only produce less milk, but are more likely to develop other health related issues such as a displaced abomasum, fatty liver, and an increased chance of herd removal in the first 30 days. Traditionally, monitoring clinical and sub-clinical ketosis has been difficult and time consuming because most detection methods involve testing individual fresh cows on a weekly basis. However, thanks to new research done by the University of Wisconsin Dairy Science Department and School of Veterinary Medicine, under the leadership of Dr. Heather White, Dr. Gary Oetzel, and Tawny Chandler, in cooperation with AgSource, your DHI milk sample can now be used to evaluate monthly ketosis prevalence in your herd.
AgSource’s KetoMonitor™, introduced on January 28th, is a new, comprehensive tool that combines laboratory analysis and individual cow data collected on test day to provide producers with a report that will estimate a herd’s ketosis prevalence. This report evaluates Early Fresh (5-11 DIM) and Overall (5-20 DIM) prevalence levels for 1st and 2nd+ Lactation groups. The KetoMonitor™ is designed to alert you to any changes that may have an impact on transition cow health, guide management and nutrition decisions and customize on farm blood testing protocols. Although it is not designed to be an individual cow test, it will also flag early fresh cows that are likely to have ketosis.
To learn more about KetoMonitor™, contact Erin Berger, Director of Outreach Training and Sales Support at 715-526-7634 or click here www.agsource.com/ketomonitor
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