Improving health and productivity in Holstein dairy cows diagnosed with twins

Evaluation of feeding strategies

Abstract

Holstein cattle diagnosed with twins pose difficult managerial decisions for dairy producers. Since there is no effective method to reduce the incidence of twinning, it is important to better understand how these metabolically challenged animals should be handled to maximize health and productivity. The objectives of this study were first, to develop a metabolic profile of Holstein cows carrying twins and second, to investigate how implementation of a simple on-farm management intervention affected cows with twins by comparing metabolic status, disease events, and milk production in animals subject to typical dry-cow management (control: low-energy diet from dry-off for five weeks, followed by a nutrient-dense ration for three weeks prior to calving) and those exposed to atypical feeding management (treatment: nutrient-dense ration for the entire eight weeks of the dry period). A total of 36 cows confirmed with twins by transrectal ultrasonography were randomly allocated to control (19) or treatment (17) diets. Cows in the treated group had a steady decline in body weight over the dry period, while cows in the control group maintained weight and then declined precipitously after the change in diet. There was no beneficial effect on disease events, and there was an unexplained negative impact on mastitis incidence. Cows in the treated group had significantly higher postpartum serum ?-hydroxybutyrate (P<0.0001) and mastitis (P=0.04) levels. Compared to other cows in the study herd, delivery of twins did not appear to affect milk production; within cows with twins there was no significant effect of diet on milk yields.