Timely Vaccination and Transitional Feed for Dairy Animals: Vet Varsity Experts
Ludhiana 07 November 2020
An effective and efficient disease prevention and control strategy is of paramount importance to improve the quality & quantity of livestock production. Although livestock vaccination is considered an emerging innovation of socio-economic importance in dairy industry; the rate of adoption & diffusion of vaccination technology is very low at field levels. These views were expressed by Dr Parkash Singh Brar, Director of Extension Education, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana (GADVASU) . He revealed that calving season is on and most of the farmers don’t take proper care of the newly born calf and especially transitional animal. Therefore, two webinars on these special topics were conducted in this week for the benefit of dairy farmers.
Dr Vishal Mahajan, Veterinary Pathologist from Animal Disease Research Centre talked about important infectious diseases and vaccination schedule. Diseases like Hemorrhagic septicemia (HS) is an acute, highly fatal form of disease that affects both buffalo and cows. He also highlighted the differences between the symptoms of HS with nitrate poisoning. Foot-and Mouth disease (FMD) is also a highly contagious virus disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals. Other troublemaker diseases like Johne’s disease and Brucellosis were also discussed. He emphasized the need of the biosecurity at the farm and timely vaccination. The animals should be healthy at the time of vaccination and there should be at least 21 days gap between two vaccinations. He also cautioned the farmers regarding the hygienic protocols particularly about used syringes.
Dr RS Grewal, Senior Nutritionist, Department of Animal Nutrition discussed the importance of transitional period of the animals which is around three weeks before and after the calving and nutrient requirements associated with it. He told the farmers that requirement of energy, protein, fat and calcium increase 4,2,5 and 4 times respectively during this critical period. Animal produces more milk but due to short of nutrients it loses weight which is detrimental in its conception in the following lactations. He discussed modified feeding strategies by incorporating calcium propionate, propylene glycol in the ration. He also emphasized the importance of certain feed supplements particularly niacin, biotin and choline chloride which increase the metabolism of the animal and help maintain production and health of the newly lactating animal.
