Lameness is one of the most important welfare problems in dairy cattle. Most studies on lameness have focused on wide ranging surveys to identify causal factors, but few have considered the welfare implications of this disorder. In this study, we compared the social and individual behavior of 10 lame cows and 10 nonlame cows. The 20 Holstein-Friesian cows calved in the summer and spent the autu...

OBJECTIVE To compare calf weaning weight and associated economic variables for beef cows with serum antibodies against Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (MAP) or from which MAP was isolated from feces with those for cows that were seronegative for antibodies against or culture negative for MAP. DESIGN Retrospective study. ANIMALS 4,842 beef cows from 3 herds enrolled in the USDA Na...

The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of a daily oral drench of Propylene Glycol (PG) on fertility in dairy cows experiencing seasonal heat stress. In treatment group, cows (n=9) were treated with drenching 250 ml propylene glycol once daily from 3 to 15 days post-partum following the morning milking. Another group of cows (n=9) was selected as untreated control. The serum beta-hy...

The aim of this study was to determine if, and under what conditions, indoor-housed dairy cows would seek a shelter to calve. Seventy-two Holstein dairy cows were paired by expected calving date and moved into a maternity pen that contained an open area with no cover and a sheltered area that was covered on all sides except for the ceiling and an entrance where cows could freely enter or exit. ...

The objective of the study was to evaluate the uterine histopathological changes in Holstein dairy cows, within the range of 90-145 day in milk, with or without clinical history of reproduction system disorders. Lactating Holstein cows (n =133) with (n=92, 69.17%) or without (n= 41, 30.82%) recorded clinical signs of reproduction diseases were examined for uterine histopathological lesions. The...

The objective of this study was to compare utilization of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) by lactating dairy cows. Red clover and alfalfa were harvested and conserved as silage at two maturities in 2 consecutive yr. Each year, diets containing experimental forages and supplemental grain were fed to 16 multiparous Holstein cows in early lactation in a replicat...

The present study was designed to assess progesterone profiles at the secreted (caudal vena cava) and circulating levels (jugular vein) and luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion pattern in lactating and non-lactating cows with reference to feeding. Four lactating and four non-lactating cycling Holstein cows were examined. Blood samples were collected simultaneously from the caudal vena cava (via a...

This study compared the effects of two levels of crude protein (CP) fed during late gestation on the performance, blood metabolites, and ovarian activity of Holstein cows. One-hundred and six cows (42 primigravid and 64 multiparous) 32 d before calving were divided into two groups and fed diets containing moderate (12.7% CP, 36% rumen undegradable protein, (RUP) or high (14.7% CP, 40% RUP) prot...

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of antibiotic treatment on pregnancy rate in repeat breeder dairy crossbred cows. Based upon culture and sensitivity test, cows were assigned into two groups. Genta (n = 10) cows were treated with gentamycin (100 mg/ml) and ENRO (n = 12) cows were treated with enrofloxacin (100 mg/ml) intramuscularly 4 ml/100 kg body weight and intra-ute...

There are approximately 2.5 million dairy cows in California. Emission inventories list dairy cows and their manure as the major source of regional air pollutants, but data on their actual emissions remain sparse, particularly for smog-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and greenhouse gases (GHGs). We report measurements of alcohols, volatile fatty acids, phenols, and methane (CH4) emitt...