Randomized clinical field trial on the effects of butaphosphancyanocobalamin and propylene glycol on ketosis resolution and milk production in dairy cows

Abstract

Ketosis, generally measured as increased concentrations of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) in the blood, is common in dairy cattle and caused by a period of negative energy balance that is nearly ubiquitous at the beginning of lactation. The consequences of ketosis include increased risk of other diseases and decreased production and reproductive performance. Propylene glycol (PG) has been recommended for treatment of ketosis because of its role in gluconeogenesis, and has recently been shown to be effective for the treatment of subclinical ketosis in a large-scale clinical field trial. It has been hypothesized that administration of vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) may increase gluconeogenesis by increasing the activity of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, a vitamin B12-dependent enzyme and important component of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Results of a recent study conducted on 1 herd suggested that a combination of butaphosphan-cyanocobalamin (B+C; Catosal®, Bayer Animal Health) was efficacious for the treatment of cows with ketosis. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of B+C and the duration of PG treatment (3 vs 5 days) on ketosis resolution and early lactation milk yield in dairy cows.