Use of peripartum period cud chewing and activity data for diagnosis of health disorders

Abstract Text: Objectives of the current experiment were to develop strategies to use peripartum cud chewing and activity for diagnosis of peripartum disorders within 72 h after calving. Holstein animals (nulliparous = 77, parous = 219) were fitted with cud chewing/activity monitors from -17 to 17 d relative to calving. Blood sampled weekly from 0 to 20 d relative to calving were used for determination of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentration and incidence of ketosis (BHB > 1,400 mmol/L). Blood sampled on d 0, 1, and 2 relative to calving were used for determination of total Ca concentration and incidence of sub-clinical hypocalcemia (Ca < 8.5 mg/dl). Cows were examined for retained placenta (RP) and metritis by study personnel. After analyzing cud chewing and activity data according to occurrence of peripartum diseases, cud chewing data from individual cows was used to diagnose disease using the receiver operator characteristics. Formulas involving cud chewing to diagnose disease are not disclosed because of intellectual property considerations. Prevalence of stillbirth, RP, sub-clinical hypocalcemia, metritis, and ketosis were 6.1%, 13.2%, 37.8%, 21.2%, and 7.6%, respectively. The criterion used for diagnosis of stillbirth resulted in sensitivity and specificity of 50 and 79.7%, respectively. There were no criteria that could be used for diagnosis of RP before the day of calving. Two criteria could be used for diagnosis of sub-clinical hypocalcemia on the day of calving. One of the criterion resulted in 66.7 and 61.3% sensitivity and specificity, respectively. The second criterion resulted in sensitivity and specificity of 82.7 and 49.6%, respectively. Metritis could be diagnosed 72 h after calving with a sensitivity and specificity of 75 and 93.1%, respectively. Among cows that were diagnosed with RP within 24 h after calving, the cud chewing criterion resulted in sensitivity and specificity of 70.8 and 75%, respectively. Cud chewing could not be used for diagnosis of ketosis. Activity data was not useful in the diagnosis of any of the health disorders evaluated in this experiment. We conclude that cud chewing data may be used for diagnosis of stillbirth, sub-clinical hypocalcemia, and metritis.

Keywords: transition cow, health disorder, diagnosis