Malnutrition as the cause of recumbency in suckler cows associated with Trypanosoma theileri infection.

BACKGROUND: Recumbent cows are a diagnostic challenge because of a wide range of differential diagnoses, which include trauma, neurological and metabolic disorders, malnutrition and mineral deficiencies. This case report describes recumbent suckler cows that presented as a herd problem. In addition to weakness due to inanition, Cu and Se deficiencies were considered as possible aetiologies of the recumbency. Furthermore, Trypanosoma (T.) theileri, a blood parasite of unknown importance in Germany, was detected in the blood of some cows. CASE PRESENTATION: Three recumbent cows were referred to the Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Leipzig. They were unable to rise and had low body condition scores and rough hair coats. Haematological and serum biochemical analyses showed neutrophilia, electrolyte imbalances, increased activities of muscle and liver enzymes and decreased concentrations of trace elements, especially Copper (Cu) and Selenium (Se). T. theileri was detected in a routine blood smear from one cow. The cows did not respond to an intensive care protocol, which included intravenous fluids and electrolytes, mineral substitution, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and antibiotics, and were therefore euthanized or died. Postmortem examination showed cachexia, subcutaneous and scleral oedema and muscular dystrophy, especially in the hind limbs. Follow-up examination of the herd of origin produced similar findings including the detection of T. theileri in a large proportion of the herd. Ration analysis revealed considerable undersupply of several nutrients. CONCLUSIONS: Based on all findings, an aetiological diagnosis of trace mineral and nutrient deficiency with possible involvement of T. theileri was made.

Digestibility and protein utilization in wethers fed whole-crop barley or grass silages harvested at different maturity stages, with or without protein supplementation1.

Effects of whole-crop barley and grass silages harvested at different maturity stages, with or without protein supplementation, on intake, in vivo digestibility, feces characteristics, and protein utilization in wethers were evaluated. Whole-crop barley silage harvested at heading stage (BH) and at medium milk stage (BM), grass silage (GE) taken at the flag leaf-early heading stage, and grass silage (GL) taken at medium-late heading stage were fed to eight wethers in two 4 × 4 Latin squares. Wethers in one square were fed supplementary rapeseed meal. Experimental periods lasted for 4 wk and wethers were fed ad libitum during the first 3 wk, with intake recorded during the third week. During the fourth week, wethers were fed 80% of ad libitum, and feces and urine were collected during the last 4 d. The GE and BH diets had greater (P < 0.05) in vivo apparent digestibility of DM and its nutrients, lower proportion of fecal particle DM (PDM) with a greater proportion of small particles compared with GL and BM diets, respectively. The GE diet had greater (P < 0.001) in vitro OM digestibility and in vivo digestibility of OM and fibre, resulting in a smaller (P < 0.001) proportion of PDM with a greater (P < 0.001) proportion of small particles compared with the other diets. In vivo NDF digestibility was negatively related to fecal PDM across forage types (R2 = 0.91, RMSE = 2.55). The GE silage had greater CP concentration, and animals fed the GE diet had greater intake of CP (P < 0.001) and sum of the degradable CP fractions A, B1, and B2 (P < 0.01), resulting in greater (P < 0.05) urinary nitrogen (N) excretion than when fed any of the other diets and a lower (P < 0.05) N retention compared with BH and BM diets. Microbial N supply tended to increase when animals were fed the BH diet (P = 0.10) and when rapeseed meal was added to the forages (P = 0.08). Increased N intake (P = 0.008) by rapeseed meal supplementation increased urinary N excretion in gram per day (P = 0.05). The strong relationship between in vivo NDF digestibility and fecal PDM indicates potentials for using PDM as a cheap method to predict NDF digestibility. Early harvest of the forages improved in vivo digestibility of nutrients, resulting in less fecal PDM with a greater proportion of small particles compared with late harvest within forage type. However, wethers fed the GE diet had greater urinary N losses compared with wethers fed the GL diet but this effect of maturity was absent when fed whole-crop barley silage.