An alcohol and drug education program for nurses.

Alcohol and drug use and abuse present serious problems for health care professionals, both as clinicians and abusers. These topics, however, have not been addressed adequately in nursing curricula. Nurses need to know the effects that alcohol and drug use and abuse have on individuals, families, and society. In this article, the authors outline the framework for a course or presentation that reviews the problems and applies the nursing process to the issues. The course can be adapted to meet the needs of nurses in any discipline, including the perioperative area, as well as for other health care providers and community groups. Course content and teaching strategies are included.

Effect of prepartum energy, body condition, and sodium bicarbonate on production of cows in early lactation.

In trial 1, the effects of dietary energy (102, 131 or 162% of requirement) in the dry period and of sodium bicarbonate (0 or .75% of diet dry matter) in early lactation were assessed with 31 cows in a 3 X 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Body condition and weight increased linearly with prepartum energy. Dry matter intake and milk yield were similar across treatments through 12 wk postpartum. Sodium bicarbonate increased milk fat content only in the 131% group, an effect apparently related to greater mobilization of fat in that group. In trial 2, energy treatments imposed in late lactation (145 to 55 d prepartum) and in the dry period (55 to 0 d) were 1) cows fed to requirement in both periods, 2) cows overfed in the first and underfed in the second period, 3) cows fed to requirement in the first and overfed in the second period, and 4) cows overfed in both periods. Cows in treatments 1 and 2 (normal) calved in a thinner state than those in 3 or 4 (fat). In the first 12 wk postpartum, intake did not differ, but cows in groups 3 and 4 produced more milk. Sodium bicarbonate imposed factorially postpartum increased milk fat content. Overconsumption of energy prepartum did not impair production when high energy total mixed rations were fed postpartum.

Reproductive performance of lactating Holstein cows fed supplemental beta-carotene.

Fifty-six Holstein cows were used in a replicated study to determine whether supplemental beta-carotene improved reproductive performance. Each of two replicates was of completely randomized design with 2 X 2 factorial arrangement of two diets with or without beta-carotene supplementation. On a dry matter basis, diet 1 was 5% hay, 20% haylage, 25% corn silage, and 50% concentrate. Diet 2 was 7.5% hay, 42.5% corn silage, and 50% concentrate. The diets contained adequate amount of vitamins A, D, and E. From 10 d postpartum until pregnancy was confirmed by rectal palpation, half the cows on each diet received a supplement of 400 mg beta-carotene per head daily. The remaining cows on each diet received a supplement of 160,000 IU vitamin A per head daily. Supplemental beta-carotene increased plasma beta-carotene throughout the trials. Median days to first ovulation, first service, days open, and mean services per conception were: 22, 77, 97, and 1.6 for cows receiving beta-carotene supplement compared with 19.5, 73, 82, and 1.9 in controls. Supplementation did not affect first service conception rate, uterine involution, or milk yield. Incidence of follicular cysts, luteal cysts, pyometra, and endometritis in cows fed beta-carotene were 11, 7, 0, and 7% compared with 8, 21, 4, and 13% in control cows. Supplemental beta-carotene did not improve the fertility of Holstein cows.

The relationship among current management systems, production, disease and drug usage on Ontario dairy farms.

The study involved 110 randomly selected dairy farms located in the Ontario, Canada counties of Bruce, Grey, Huron, Oxford, Perth, Waterloo and Wellington. Herds were classified as "intensive" and "extensive". On extensive farms, data were collected at the herd level only, while on intensive farms, data were recorded at both the individual animal and herd level. Data collection continued for approximately two and one-half years. At each visit, technicians collected production data from the most recent production recording scheme report and from the "daily log" maintained by each producer. As well as the ongoing data collection procedures, a number of supplementary data collections were made. The average 305 day milk production increased gradually during the three calendar years from 6224.6 kg in 1981 to 6443.7 kg in 1983. The average calving interval was stable at 13.2 months for all three years. The majority of cows removed from the herds were culled for beef (0.243 per animal year). The next highest removal rate was for domestic sale, followed by death, export sale and destroyed. The highest disease rate, for those conditions whose rates were based on calving, was for retained placenta (0.09 per calving), while clinical mastitis was highest for those conditions whose rates were based on animal years (0.37 per animal year). The overall crude antimicrobial dosage rate, that is, including any antimicrobial used for either prophylactic or therapeutic purposes, was 3.85 doses per animal year. The rate for therapeutic purposes only was 3.6 doses per animal year. Penicillin/streptomycin was used most often with a rate of 1.45 doses per animal year.

Effect of protein on growth of Holstein heifer calves from 2 to 10 months.

Two trials involving 44 weaned Holstein heifer calves were to determine effects of protein on growth in weight and wither height, dry matter intake, and digestibility. In trial 1, 24 calves were fed according to requirements from 85 to 182 d of age, then at 80, 100, or 120% of recommended amounts for dietary protein content until 295 d. Weight at 295 d increased linearly with protein (280, 287, 298 kg), but wither height and dry matter intake were unaffected. In trial 2, 20 calves were fed 80, 100, or 120% of recommended protein from 71 to 182 d. Weight and wither height at 182 d responded quadratically to protein with highest values from the medium protein diet. From 183 to 295 d, trial 2 calves were rerandomized to diets of medium or high protein. Weight at 295 d was increased by high protein. An interaction between treatments for wither height indicated responses to high protein after 182 d for calves on low or medium protein before that time and a decrease for calves on high protein throughout. In male calves of similar age, elevated protein increased apparent protein digestibility but had inconsistent effects on digestibility of dry matter. Current protein recommendations appear adequate for calves to 6 mo of age but thereafter may be too generous.

Effect of Low-Temperature Cleaning of Milking Equipment on the Microbiological Quality of Raw Milk.

Effect on the microbiological quality of milk of using a special cleaning detergent (Diversey-Wyandotte, Inc.) for low-temperature (initial 43.8°C, end of wash 35.4°C) washing in a milking parlor pipeline system was compared to regular high-temperature (initial 73°C, end of wash 43.8°C) wash of the system. Microbiological quality of the milk was determined by standard plate count (SPC) and psychrotrophic bacterial count (PBC). Cleanliness of equipment was evaluated by measurement of calcium deposits and visual inspection. Statistical analysis of data over time (June 5 to September 16, 1980) indicated no difference in SPC and PBC of milk between low-and high-temperature washing and, although there was a significant negative slope of PBC with time, this was due to factors other than treatment. Calcium soil deposition and visible evaluation of the equipment were not different for the wash temperatures.

Nutrition of the weaned holstein calf. I. Effect of dietary protein level on rumen metabolism.

The effect of various dietary crude protein (CP) levels on rumen metabolism was studied with four Holstein calves (avg wt, 146 kg) fitted with ruminal and abomasal cannulae and fed four corn-based diets supplemented with 0, 5, 10 and 15% soybean meal (SBM). The diets contained 10.2, 12.2, 14.1 and 16.1% CP. Apparent rumen digestion of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and starch averaged 43.9, 48.0 and 68.4%, respectively; none of these was affected by diet (P greater than .05). There was a linear increase in abomasal flow of ammonia nitrogen (N) (P less than .01) and residual N (P less than .05) as SBM increased in the diet. There was no effect of diet on abomasal flow of bacgerial N. Abomasal flow of nonammonia N (g/100 g DM intake) increased in a linear manner (P less than .05) from 1.75 at 10.2% CP to 2.07 at 16.1% CP. When protein was greater than 12% of the diet, there was evidence of wastage of protein in the rumen. Bacterial synthesis in the rumen averaged 2.0 g/100 g organic matter apparently digested. There was no apparent effect of rumen ammonia concentration on rate of microbial synthesis in spite of the low levels (less than 5 mg N/100 ml) observed with the low CP diets. There was a linear increase in serum urea levels before and after feeding as dietary CP increased (P less than .001). Volatile fatty acid concentration in the rumen, turnover rate of the fluid phase in the rumen and rumen volume were all unaffected by changes in dietary protein (P greater than .05).

Nutrition of the weaned holstein calf. II. Effect of dietary protein level on nitrogen balance, digestibility and feed intake.

Four cracked corn-based diets supplemented with 0, 5, 10 and 15% soybean meal (SBM) were fed to weaned male Holstein calves to study effects of protein level on digestibility and nitrogen balance, in one trial, and on feed intake, in another. Twelve calves were used in each trial in a replicated 4 x 4 Latin square design. Calves were 9 to 12 weeks of age at the start of the experiment and diets ranged from 9.9 to 16.2% crude protein (CP). In trial 1; feed intake was restricted to 80 g dry matter (DM) per kilogram metabolic body weight (W-75). There was a linear change (P less than .01) in apparent DM digestibility, increasing from 71.1% with the low protein diet to 75.1% with the high protein diet. Similar significant trends were observed in digestibility of organic matter (71.2 to 75.3%), nitrogen (61.6 to 72.2%), acid detergent fiber (36.2 to 44.8%) and starch (86.3 to 89.7%). Fecal starch decreased, from 28.4 to 22.1% of DM, and fecal pH increased, from 5.21 to 5.52, as SBM was substituted for corn; both of these trends were significant (P less than .01), linear component); they were also correlated (r = .55, P less than .01). Nitrogen (N) retention increased with dietary protein level (P less than .01, linear component), from 9.0 to 10.9 to 11.9 to 13.2 g N/kg digestible organic matter intake for diets 1 through 4, respectively. The same percentage of nitrogen intake was retained on all diets, but the amount of absorbed nitrogen that was retained decreased with dietary protein level (P less than .01, linear component) from 63.0% with 9.9% CP to 51.4% with 16.2% CP. In trial 2, voluntary feed intake averaged 98.2, 110.1, 106.3 and 106.5 g DM/W-75 for diets 1 to 4, respectively, (P less than .05, quadratic component). Live weight gain increased in a linear manner (P less than .01) with increasing CP, from .77kg/day with diet 1 to 1.22 kg/day with diet 4.

All silage forage programs for dairy cattle. III. Health, survival, and reproduction.

Holstein-Friesian heifer calves were fed roughage consisting of corn silage only, corn silage and haycrop silage (60:40, dry matter), or corn silage and dry hay (60:40 dry matter) from birth through completion of three lactations. Forages were fed ad libitum throughout and supplemented as required. Objectives were to determine effects of forage on survival, health, and reproduction. Of the 15 calves allotted per treatment 6, 10, and 7 completed three lactations fed corn silage, corn silage plus haycrop silage, or corn silage plus hay. At any time fewer animals survived on corn silage treatment resulting in 22 completed lactations compared to 36 and 29 lactations for those receiving haycrop silage or hay. Primary reasons for removal from experiment were enzootic pneumonia, 7; reproductive failure, 8; and mastitis, 6; and not forage treatment. Fewer animals on corn silage treatment were primarily from calfhood pneumonia. Reproduction measured by age at first calving (24.6 mo), calving interval (398 days), and services per conception (2.1) was similar across treatments. Incidence of health problems was in normal ranges and similar across treatments. Forage treatment had no effect on incidence of ketosis, left displaced abomasum, or simple indigestion.

The rates and patterns of survivorship and disease in a university dairy herd.

The rates and patterns of disease occurrence and survivorship were determined over a six year period in a university operated dairy herd. Of the ten diseases selected for study, clinical mastitis occurred most frequently with an incidence rate of 10.1% and displaced abomasum occurred least frequently with an incidence rate of 4.4%. The occurrence of all disease except those of the ovary was associated with the age of the cow. Mastitis, pneumonia and cystic graafian follicles tended to reoccur in the same cow after the initial occurrence. The average culling rate was 25.6% and the median number of years cows survived in the herd was 3.4 years. Methods for calculating the various rates and survivorship are described and their interpretation discussed.

The association between disease, production and culling in a university dairy herd.

The impact of ten diseases of dairy cattle on milk production, calving interval and culling were studied in a university operated dairy herd. Cows with clinical mastitis, ketosis or displaced abomasum had lowered milk production. Cows with metritis, retained placenta, cystic graafian follicles or ovarian hypofunction had longer calving intervals. Cows with clinical mastitis, metritis, pneumonia or retained placenta had increased risks of culling. The relationship between disease and culling was based on the medical history of culled and nonculled cows using a case control approach. Therefore, it is likely that in many cases, the association between disease and culling is due to the impact of that disease on productivity.

Glucose metabolism in cows fed low- and high-roughage diets.

Six lactating first-calf Holstein cows were used to test the effect of dietary roughage on glucose metabolism. Cows were fed either a low-roughage or high-roughage diet at isocaloric digestible energy intakes in a double changeover design experiment. Mean values (plus or minus standard deviation) for milk yield (kg/day), fat (%), lactose (%), and protein (%) for cows fed low-roughage were 19.0 plus or minus 4.4, 3.11 plus or minus .78, 5.19 plus or minus .27, 3.44 plus or minus .48; values for cows fed high-roughage were 17.5 plus or minus 5.1, 3.99 plus or minus .58, 4.94 plus or minus .25, and 2.78 plus or minus .33. One hour post-feeding on the 20th day of each period 2 mCi of tritiated glucose were administered to each cow by single injection to measure glucose kinetics. Mean values (plus or minus standard deviation) for plasma concentration (mg/100 ml) pool size (mg/kg), half-time (min), and utilization rate (mg/kg--75 per min) of glucose, and plasma insulin concentration (muU/ml) for cows fed low-roughage were 63.1 plus or minus 3.9, 17.9 plus or minus 3.4, 30.4 plus or minus 5.2, 8.55 plus or minus 2.44, and 22.0 plus or minus 3.9; for cows fed high-roughage values were 54.9 plus or minus 2.2, 114.5 plus or minus 17.2, 40.0 plus or minus 2.2, 4.06 plus or minus .38, and 16.2 plus or minus 2.4. A glucose load was administered intravenously to each cow on the last day of each period. Glucose half-times and mean plasma insulin following the clearance test were not affected by diet. Compared to high-roughage, low-roughage diets greatly affect metabolism in lactating cows when isocaloric intakes of each are fed. Fat depression, however, may or may not occur simultaneously.