The Rural Voice, 2000-08, Page 13Scrap Book
Research shows
value of cows with
big appetites
Selecting cows that have the
ability to eat more during early
lactation may reduce stress-related
health problems and make for
healthier animals, say University
of Guelph researchers.
Research associate Dr. Paul
Boettcher from the Centre for Gen-
etic Improvement of Livestock
(CGIL) and graduate student Beth-
any Collard are trying to uncover a
relationship between a dairy cow's
energy balance (the difference
between energy consumed and
energy used for milk production,
growth and maintenance) in early
lactation, and health and
reproductive problems during the
course of that lactation.
"We hope to find a role for
genetic factors in the relationship
between energy intake and milk
yields," says Collard. "If we could
breed for a cow that eats more in
early lactation, then maybe that
cow could better withstand stresses
and be healthier."
Even when plenty of food is
offered, many early lactating cows
fail to eat enough feed to meet
their energy needs. If the energy a
cow requires for milk production
and tissue maintenance exceeds
what she's consuming in her feed,
she'll experience a negative energy
balance that could lead to health
problems. However, increasing the
feed energy concentration puts the
cow at risk for digestive problems.
From information the team
gathered at Agriculture and Agri -
Food Canada's dairy research
station in Lennoxville, Quebec,
they learned that cows with a
longer negative energy balance
experienced greater health
problems. They had higher
incidences of locomotive problems
like laminitis — inflammation of
the soft tissues of the foot — and
digestive problems.0
— Source: Centre for Genetic
Improvement of Livestock
Update 2000
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