Treating Laminitis In Dairy Cows

Antihistamines may be useful e g.

Treating laminitis in dairy cows.

Proper foot trimming is essential to prevent and manage claw problems. The greek name of the disease kritiasis relates to overfeeding of barley. Nsaid non steroidal anti inflammatory drug injectable ketoprofen 2 to 4 mg kg im iv. Lameness in dairy cows may be due to infectious diseases or disruptions of normal claw growth.

Laminitic lesions of the claw are not always a result of poor feeding practices. Correct grain overload keeping the animal moving and the claws cool. Laminitis has been described in many species but is most common in equine and bovine. Although bovine laminitis is most common in dairy cows it has been reported in all ages and sexes.

The first priority he says is to determine of the animal is down but alert or moribund. To feed carbohydrates correctly fiber levels must be measured using neutral detergent fiber ndf and acid detergent fiber adf values. Controlling subclinical laminitis see laminitis in cattle in a high production intensively managed dairy herd requires a systematic epidemiologic study. Rations that lead to acidosis are followed by laminitis but this is difficult to manage when the largest percentage of diets for dairy cattle contain carbohydrates.

The greeks aristotle associated equine laminitis with indigestion. Edwards also spoke about downed cattle. Though there is no effective treatment for laminitis edwards says consistent bunk management and using adequate step up rations can help prevent it.