Dairy - Milch breeds (Gir, Hallikar, Godavari)

Selection of dairy cows

• Selecting a calf in calf show, a cow in cattle show by judging is an art. A dairy farmer should build up his own herd by breeding his own herd. Following guidelines will be useful for selection of a diary cow.
• Selection should be done based upon breed characteristics, fertility and milk producing ability.
• History sheet or pedigree sheet which are generally maintained in organized forms reveals the complete history of animal
• So, whenever an animal is purchased from a cattle fair, it should be selected based upon its breed characters and milk producing ability
• The maximum yield by dairy cows are noticed during the first five lactations. So generally selection should be carried out during I or II lactation and that too are month after calving.
• There successive complete milkings has to be done and an average of it will give a fair idea regarding production by a particular animal
• A cow should allow anybody to milk, and should be doile it is better to purchase the animals during the months of October and November. Maximum yield is noticed till 90 days after calving.

Breed characteristics of high yielding dairy cows

• Attractive individuality with feminity, vigour, harmonious blending of all parts, impressive style and carriage
• Animal should have wedge shaped appearance of the body
• It should have bright eyes with lean neck
• The udder should be well attached to the abdomen
• The skin of the udder should have a good network of blood vessels
• All four quarters of the udder should be well demarcated with well placed teats.

Selection of she-buffaloes for milk production

When you purchase buffaloes for milk production we have to select healthy animal known for economic milk production. We have to take following steps in selecting a dairy animal

Breed characters

• Body confirmation
• Body weight
• Ancestors performance
• Reproduction capacity
• Health condition
• Age
• No. of lactations
• Past performance of the animal
• Free of chronic disease
• Cleanliness of teeth Legs and toes free of injuries
• Good eye site
• Whether animal is dry or lactating
• Date of delivery
• Month of pregnancy
• If non-pregnant, how many times it came in to heat
• Animal should follow owners instructions
• The udder should be in good shape and easy to milk

The animal should not have the following

• Poor growth
• Late maturity
• Not coming into heat
• Repeat breeder
• Long gap between two lactations
• Uncurable chronic diseases
• Retained placenta
• Low milk production
• Unable to give milk without calf

Housing of Dairy Cattle

• The basic justification for animal shelter is that it should alter or modify the environment for the benefitof animals enclosed in it.
• The animal shelter should normally buffer the extremes of climatic conditions to reduce peak 'stress' on the animals housed.

Design considerations for animal houses

• Animal houses should be located in an elevated area with good drainage facility
• Direct sunlight shouldnt fall into the shed
• Sufficient green cover should be there around the sheds
• Sufficient open area should present around the animal shed for free movement of animals

Construction of an ideal cattle shed

• Each animal should be provided 1-1.2 mt width and 1.5 - 1.7 mt length as standing space.
• Sufficient space should be provided for each animal in the shed or else it may lead to fighting among them. For e.g. For 5 cows the length and width of the shed should be 6 mt and 2.5 mt respectively.
• It should have an open area of about 8 mtlength and 6 mt width. Fencing or compound wall can be constructed around the shed.

Floor

• It should be impervioius, non-slippery free from holes and crevices. It must have proper slope.
• The material of the floor should preferably of cement concrete.

Roof

• The rof should be small and simple.
• The roofing materials should preferably be asbestos sheet or galvanized iron sheets.
• The roof should be 8 high at sides and 15 high at center. The height at eares is 3.
• If iron sheets are used as roofing materials them cover it with grass during summer season.

Manager

• A continuous manager is constructed so that it can accommodate all the animals.
• The height, depth and width of the manager should be 60, 50 and 40 cm respectively for each animal.
• It can be constructed by using cement and brick or by cement concrete.

Gutter

1. The width and depth of the gutter should be 30 cm and 7.5 cm respectively.
2. Generally the drainage should directly be connected to the fodder plots.

Record keeping

• It helps to know the financial position of the diary farm.
• Different records like milk production register, feed register, health register, mortality register etc should be maintained in a dairy farm.

Hay Making

• Good quality herbage at the flowering stage is cut early in the morning and left in the field.
• After 4-5 hrs the cut fodder is turned and by next day afternoon the moisture content would come down to 25% crops cut at hay making stage may contain 20-25 lt of water/ha.
• For safe storage moisture content should not be more than 15% which can be ensured by frequent turning and spreading the hay over a wide area.
• Legume and non-legume forage crops can be used for HAY making.

First aid in cattle

• Injuries to legs and horns are common in cattle.
• Apart from this excess intake of grain rich diet, or fodder may lead to bloat and impaction.
• Necessary treatment should be done immediately or else the animal may be in danger.

Wounds

• The wounds should be thoroughly cleaned in potassium permanganate solution.
• Septic wounds should be cleaned with hot saline water.
• In case of bleeding from the wound a bandage can be applied with the help of ganze cloth or cotton after applying suphanamide powder.
• Maggot infestation can be treated by removing the maggots initially with a forceps and then camphor oil, turmeric powder or custard leaf can be applied.
• Neem oil can be used as fly repellent.

Yone gall

• It is a condition characterized by local swelling upon neck caused due to constant irrittion of yoke or plough.
• Camphor mixed in coconut oil should be applied on the affected portion.
• In case of severe swelling iodine ointment can be applied. Due to this it will rupture and then it can be treated like ordinary wound.
• The animal should not be allowed for carting until the swelling ceases.

Horn facture

• The hanging portion of the horn should be removed.
• Bleeding can be prevented by applying a bandage with a white cloth dipped in water.
• Sugar solution should be applied on the bandage. Consult the veterinary doctor for further treatment.

Sprain

• Hot fomentations with water should be applied thrice daily on the affected portion.
• Massage the area with camphor oil
• In case if it is possible to tie a bandage then it should be done with the help of tamarind leaves

Impaction

• Due to over feeding of fodder without water intake or due to intake of grain rich diet will lead to impaction of rumen.
• Important symptoms include stoppage of rumination, dry and hard flakes of dung and severe abdominal pain.
• Stop feeding the animal with any kind of diet.
• 250 ml of castor oil can be given as a drench
• It if is not subsided in two days then consult the veterinarian  

Bloat

• A mixture of 50 ml of camphor oil and 500 ml of good quality oil should be drenched.
• Stop feeding the animal till the bloat subsides
• Small quantities of rice gruel can be fed

Non-specific dairhoea

• Animal should be drenched with half a litre oil
• A mixture of 20 gms of kaolin and 20 gms of crota should be mixed in the gruel and can be fed to the animal

Health Management

• From profit point of view and from public health point of view a herd health programme among bovines is important without keeping diseases under control, progress in dairy cattle breeding is seriously impeded and the effects of good management and feeding cannot manifest themselves.

Key points to keep the animals healthy

• Animal sheds and surroundings should be kept clean
• Provide good quality nutritious feed to the animlas
• Clean drinking water should be made available to the animals always
• Elimination of mosquitoes, ticks etc from the sheds and animals

Examination of health condition of animals

• The animal should be examined at the time of milking and feeding both in the morning and evening.
• Proper diagnosis and control measures should be taken in order to prevent the spread of diseases.

Signs of health

• Eating with relish and rumination
• Muzzle and nostrils are moist
• No fluctuation in milk yield
• The normal temperature in cattle is 38.3⁰ C to 38.8⁰ C while in buffaloes it is 37.8⁰ C to 39.3⁰ C
• Dung is semi solid in consistency with dark green colour
• Urine of healthy animals are clear and straw coloured

Signs of ill-health

• Animals separating from the general herd showing weakness and lack of alertness
• Stoppage of rumination
• Fever is noticed
• Redness in the eye and lancination observed
• Hairs are raised on the skin
• Yellow colour of dung indicate that the animal is suffering from constipation and loose motion indicate that it is having cholera
• Change in quality and quantity of milk produced is an early indicator of disease
• Undigested feed particles in the dung indicate there is some disturbance in the digestive system
• Animals which are not taking feed while milking may be suspected for fever or any kind of indigestion

Anthrax

• Anthrax is an acute, infectious febrile disease of virtually all animals and man. It is caused by Bacillus anthracis.
• In India, it is well known as the cause of sudden death of cattle, sheep and goats.

Symptoms

• The disease may occur in a peracute, acute or sub-acute form. In the first, the animal dies suddenly, rarely showing any symptoms.
• In acute and sub-acute forms, there may be high rise in body temperature and signs of intense pain.

Treatment and control

• Due to the acute nature of the disease resulting in sudden death, treatment is usually not possible in animals even though anthrax bacilli are clines. Treatment is of use in cases showing sub-acute form of the disease.

Black-quarter (Black-leg)

• This disease is widespread amongst cattle in certain parts of India, particularly in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. Sporadic cases occur in the northern and eastern states of the country.
• The disease is common in areas with moderate rainfall and where dry-crop cultivation is common.
• Young animals in the prime of condition and six months to three years old are affected more than others. Buffaloes usually suffer from a milder form of the disease. Outbreaks generally occur with the onset of rains. True black-quarter is caused by Clostridium chauvoei.
• It affects mostly start and sturdy animals. Fever with redness of eye. Hot painful swelling in the affected leg. Crepitating sound on pressing the affected part of muscle. Death may occur in severe cases in 1 or 2 days

Symptoms

• The disease usually occurs in an acute form, affected animals dying within 24 to 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.
• There is high fever with a hot, tense, painful swelling usually in one of the quarters, more often a hind-quarter, although such swelling may also occur in other before death, the swelling becomes cold and painless and crepitates on pressure due to the presence of gas in it.

Prevention and control

• To prevent the spread of infection and contamination of the soil with spores of the causal organisms, carcases of animals dead of black-quarter should be either buried deep and covered over with lime or should be cremated.
• Administration of penicillin in repeated doses may be effective if injected before muscle damage has been caused.
• Use of black-quarter vaccine protects animals against the disease for about a year. Animals should be vaccinated with this about three to one month before the onset of rains.

Contagious bovine abortion

• This disease of cattle and buffaloes, usually termed brucellosis, is caused by Brucella abortus, a small gram-negative coccobacillus, also known as Bang's bacillus.
• The disease occurs on most breeding farms in western countries. It is also fairly widely prevalent in India.

Symptoms

• The disease affects animals of all ages and of both sexes.
• In the initial stages it shows no symptoms and hardly any evidence of fever. As the infection progresses, the organisms become localized at sites where they are able to persist, the most usual of these sites in the female being the uterus, the udder and the supramammary lymph nodes, and in the male the genital glands.

Prevention and control

• Introduced into a fresh herd, the disease may spread rapidly.
• It is, therefore, necessary that before purchasing animals for a disease-free herd they are carefully examined for evidence of the infection.

Bovine mastitis

• This disease is characterized by the inflammation of the udder, resulting in changes in the udder tissue and its secretion.
• Infectious mastitis results from infection with one or more of the many organisms associated with cattle in all countries where dairy industry is well developed, and the disease is of great economic importance to the milk producer.
• The disease is also widely prevalent in milch animals in India.
• Clinically, the disease may be recognized as acute, sub-acute or chronic, and these forms may depend on the type of the causal organism concerned. It may be accompanied by systemic disturbance, with a rise in body temperature of the affected animal and other febrile symptoms, but usually it occurs in the form of a localized involvement of the udder, with a progressive damage to the udder tissue.
• The milk is affected both in quality and in quantity, and as a result of permanent impairment of the function of one or more quarters milk production may cease altogether. Both cows and she-buffaloes suffer from the disease.

Treatment

• Success depends on the nature of the aetiological agent involved, the severity of the disease and the extent of fibrosis.
• Complete recovery with freedom from bacterial infection can be obtained in cases of recent infection and in those where fibrosis has taken place only to a small extent.
• Such drugs as acriflavine, gramicidin and tyrothricin have now ceased to be in use, and have given place to the more effective drugs, such as sulphonamides, penicillin and streptomycin.

Cow-pox

• The infection, although mostly occurring in cows, sometimes also occurs in buffaloes.
• Under natural conditions the infection takes place through inoculation by the cutaneous route and readily spreads from one animal to another through the agency of milkers.
• The occurrence of the disease is not often reported since it is localized only to the teats and udder and occasionally to the hairless parts of the body.

Buffalo-pox

• Pox occurs in buffaloes, but in a considerably milder form than in cows.

Haemorrhagic septicaemia

• This acute septicaemic disease of cattle and buffaloes is widely prevalent in India. It occurs generally in low-lying areas periodically inundated by rainwater and in areas where irrigation facilities have developed.
• The causal organism, Pasteurella multocida, is a small gram-negative cocco-bacillus, commonly called bipolar organism on account of the intensity with which is stains at the poles.
• Redness of eye and lancination along with fever. Severe dyspnoea. Hot painful swelling at head, jowl region or brisket region. In severe cases sudden death may occur due to high fever and severe dyspnoea

Symptoms

• The disease generally runs an acute course. Cattle and buffaloes often develop a highly septicaemic condition and die within the course of about 24 hours of infection.
• Affected animals show a high rise in body temperature.
• The lesions comprise haemorrhagic spots in the lymph nodes, on the serous membranes and in other organs, including the inner lining of the heart; spleen is normal in size.
• The entire gut is highly inflamed and intensely red with bloody contents.

Treatment and prevention

• Early cases of the disease are amenable to treatment with sulphonamides, notably sulphadimidine coupled with antibiotics, such as penicillin, but on account of the short course of the disease and its termination in sudden death, animals are seldom available in good time for treatment.
• Vaccination with the improved type of adjuvant vaccine, carried out about a month before the onset of rains, will protect animals against the attack of the disease for about one year. In endemic areas such vaccination should be carried out every year.

Leptospirosis

• Leptospirosis occurs in animals and man in almost all parts of the world.
• Serological evidence indicates the prevalence of leptospires among domesticated animals in different parts of the country.
• The damage done to animal industry results from the death of animals in the acute stage of illness, stillbirth, abortion, stunning, decrease in weight (loss of meat), reduced milk production and unthriftness.

Causes and pathogenesis

• The causative organisms of leptospirosis belong to the genus Leptospira.

Symptoms

• In cattle it is an acute, often fatal, disease characterized by haemorrhage, haemoglobinurai and icterus.
• Non-fatal infections are often characterized by fever, anaemia, abortions, sterility, decreased lactation and mastitis.

Diagnosis

• The principal methods used for the diagnosis of leptospirosis are direct microscopical examination of tissue preparations and body fluids, bacteriological culture, animal inoculation and serological tests.

Treatment

• In cattle treatment with antibiotics may result in considerable diminution of even temporary cessation of urinary excretion of leptospires.

Rinder pest

• Rinderpest is the most destructive of the virus diseases of cloven-footed animals, such as cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, pigs and wild ruminants. Its control was a major issue till recently all over the world.
• Organised efforts over half a century have brought about a total eradication of the disease in the Western Hemisphere.
• The disease still persists in the Asian countries.
• The virus is found notable in the saliva, discharge from eyes and nostrils, and in the urine and faeces.
• It is present in the circulating blood during the febrile stage and is later concentrated in different organs, especially in the spleen, lymph nodes and liver. Outside the animal body, the virus is rapidly destroyed by direct sunlight and disinfectants. Cold preserves the virus.
• The virus is usually spread by contaminated feed and water.
• Rise in temperature upto 104 107 ⁰ F. Lacrimation and redness of eye.
• Foul odour from mouth. Discrete necrotic foci develop in the buccal mucosa, inside lip, and on the tongue. Bloody mucoid diarrhoea is noticed

Treatment

• Symptomatic treatment with penicillin, streptomycin, sulphadimidine and intestinal antiseptics has no action on the virus, but may help in the recovery of less severe cases of rinderpest, as these control secondary complications caused by bacteria.

Vibrionic abortion of cattle

• This is a widely prevalent form of abortion in some countries and the causal organism is Vibrio foetus.
• The disease resembles Br. Abortus infection but is less severe in form. It is generally transmitted during natural service or artificial insemination with semen from infected bulls.

Diagnosis

• Diagnosis is made by the examination of uterine exudate and stomach contents of the foetus.
• The disease is usually self-limiting, infected animals developing active immunity after one abortion.
• However, hygienic measures should be adopted to prevent spread of infection.

Metoestrus Bleeding (Post Oestrus Bleeding)

• Mucus discharge with blood or clots of blood observed the next day to 5 days after the day of insemination or natural service.
• Seen in well-fed cows and heifers and not in buffalo cows or buffalo heifers.
• This condition is due to sudden withdrawal of oestrogens in circulation and is considered to be physiological.

Treatment

• Inject on the day of noticing metoestrus bleeding 1 ml. of Lutonestry (Russel co) or Duogynon 1 ml (Schering) or Duogynon Forte 1 ml (Schering) or E.P. Forte 1 ml (Unichem) intramuscularly.
• Advice to reduce the quantity of concentrates especially starch and fat but increase protein by feeding deoiled groundnut cake. Give exercise 1 to 2 kilometers per day.
• No metoestrus bleeding will be seen after this treatment. After the treatment, if udder gets enlarged in heifers do not inject any hormones subsequently; such animals if milked will give milk slowly after 6 weeks.

Metritis

• The discharge thrown by the animal in heat or 1 to 4 days after insemination is not clear.
• It may be watery with while flakes like curdled milk or thick pus like or a mixture of both. Do rectal examination and record the following
• Cervix is normal in size or enlarged. If cervix is enlarged it may be a case of cervicitis. By vaginal examination with a speculum the cervical annular folds or ridges will be seen protruding out of the external os.
• In Sindhi and Krishnavally and their cross breeds, the cervix will be large and one may get confused for a case of cervicitis.
• Broad-spectrum antibiotics are indicated and the response is good when the ovary or ovaries are round soft and smooth preferably with follicles.

Both Cervix and uterus have enlarged

• Use 10 to 15 ml of Metrogyl IV (Iflunik) and 10 ml I/u diluted or undiluted in all infected cases. Use 10 to 15 ml of broad-spectrum antibiotics and add to it 10 to 75 ml of distilled water and inject intrauterine (into both horns) with an A.L.Catheter.
• The response is good when the ovaries are soft round and smooth or when follicles are present. The medicine has to be filled into both uterine horns for 3 to 5 days.

Treatment

• As long as the ovaries are flat and non-functional the use of antibiotics, antiseptics or Lugols Iodine will not help.
• So give the animals better nutrition (1/2 to 1 kg of concentrates extra per day along with extra mineral mixture and salt lick blocks.

Animal is in Oestrum

• If proper records are maintained can be observe animals coming into heat as follows:
• Animal had come in heat 21 days back (regular cycle or repeat breeder)
• Animal had come in heat on 10-11 days back (mid cycle heat)
• Animal had come in heat on 7-8 days back (Acute endometritis)
• Animal had come in heat on 13-17 days back (endometritis)
• Animal had come in heat after AI/after Natural service 24 t0 37 days after AI/Natural service (Early embryonic death)
• Animal had come in heat on 4 to 8 days interval and is in heat for 2-3 days continuously (Cystic ovaries)
• Animal had come in heat on 42-45 days back (Missed heat or silent heat)
• Animal had come in heat on 2 days back and in heat again (Split heat)
• Animal was inseminated and declared pregnant and is in heat how (may be gestational heat or heat noticed after un-noticed abortion or foetal resorption)
• Animal has calved 10 to 27 days back and has come in heat (Post partum heat)
• Animal has aborted 30 to 45 days back and has come in heat (Post abortion heat)

Animal has come in heat

• As cattle in oestrum exhibit mounting on some other female cattle in heat, some times the owner produces the animal not in heat for insemination.
• Animal in heat mounts as well as stands still to be ridden, but an animal not in heat mounts but will not stand still to be ridden.
• Animal showing both the signs will have congested or pink, moist, shining vulval lips the under surface of the tail pasted with mucus discharge. Some times the discharge may be seen flowing out of the vulval lips when the animal mounts.
• Rectal exam shows uterus highly tonic. Opposite of this is seen in the animal not in heat.
• Opposite of this is seen in the animal not in heat. Animals in heat urinates repeatedly a small quantity of a urine and swings its tail too many times in early heat only mounts, in mid heat do not mount, but accepts mounting and in late neither accepts nor mounts.

Animal showing frequent Oestrum (Cysiic Ovaries)

• Animals come in heat once in 3 to 4 days or once in 8 days in any case they will have long period of oestrum. Such cases should be suspected for cystic ovaries.
• The uterus will be soft an Atonic. In long standing cases the sacro-sciatic ligaments are relaxed and during rectal examination when fingers of palm are pressed against the ligament from below the relaxation is well appreciated.
• (Base of tail is raised and depressions are notice on either side of tail at the level of sacrosciatic ligament sterility hump).

.The Cyst or cysts may be 3 types

1. Follicular cyst may be single or multiple in number
2. Luteal cyst may be one or few
3. Lutenized cyst or cystic corpus luteum

Retension of Placenta in cattle and buffaloes

• After expelling the foetus if the placenta is not thrown off within 8 hours it is considered as a case of rentension of placenta in cattle and buffaloes.
• Retension of placenta can be avoided if the following prophylactic measures are undertaken

1. Giving daily for 10 to 15 days before calving 1 kg of germinated and boiled Horse gram along with the water used for boiling horse gram. If it is not possible to boil even germinated horse gram can be fed for 10 to 15 days at the rate of 1 kg per day
2. injecting 20 mg of Sodium selenite in 10 ml of groundnut oil along with 500 mg of Vitamin E (Tocopherols) intramuscularly 20 days prior to the day of calving
3. Shifting animals 5 to 10 days to disinfected or non infected shall or to grazing fields (the stalls should not contain saw dust or paddy husk as bedding but paddy straw of jungle grass or un chaffed waste fodder can be used as bedding)
4. Giving daily about 2km of walking as exercise or allow the animal to move freely in an open space for about an hour.
5. Feeding mineral mixture containing Iodine, sodium selenite and in addition feed vitamin A (green grass) and vitamin E (germinated grams)
6. Injecting 100 ml of 20% glucose intravenously daily for 3 days along with calcium as injection, soon after calving.
7. Injecting 3 to 4 mg of ergonobine / intramuscularly soon after calving.

Curative Treatment

Contraindications of manual removal of placenta

• If the temperature is more than 102.5 F in cattle and more than 101 F in buffaloes do not remove placenta manually (in such high temperatures such as septic metritis, acute metritis and in traumatic pericarditis). Such removal may lead to septic condition and death of the animal
• When the foetal cotyledons are thin and stringy
• When the animals are suffering from necrotic vaginitis and vulvitis with small dry swollen vagina
• When adhesions are very strong and firm
• Removing placenta incompletely or in a rough and in an insanitary manner
• Tying a weight to the placenta causes strain and may break leaving part of it inside or it may cause invagination of uterus.

When placenta can be removed manually

• The placental cotyledons should be fleshy and substantial (considerably large) when cotyledons are detached the time taken to detach each cotyledons should not exceed more than 10 seconds.

Advise to owners

• Do not tie any weight to the hanging placenta
• If placenta is not expelled within 8 hours call on experienced veterinarian. In case of abortions as it usually ends up in ROP it should be got treated immediately.
• In case of twin pregnancy the animal calves 8 to 10 days earlier to normal term and may end up in a case of ROP
• If not expelled with in 36 hors it may take 7 to 10 days for total expulsion after meceration by itself
• Do not breed ROP cases within 90 days after calving
• Get the ROP cases examined monthly until 4 months after calving to check the invoution of uterus. Meanwhile the mucus discharge in 1 to 2 heats should be clear before doing A.I.

Abortion in cattle and buffaloes

• Abortion is the expulsion of a visible dead foetus before the age of 28 weeks in cows 31 weeks in case of buffaloes.
• Expulsion of the dead foetus after this period is called as a stillborn calf. The common causes for abortions are as follows:

Bacterial diseases

• Brucellosis
• Leptospirosis
• Listeriosis
• TB
• Vibriosis
• Other bacteria causing abortions are streptococcus. Diplococcus, Staphylococcus, E. Coli, Pseudomonas areginosa, corynebacterium pyogenes etc

Viral diseases

• Rinderpest
• Foot and mouth

Fungal diseases

• Aspergillosis

Protzooal

• Trichomoniasis
• Trypnasomiasis
• Anaplasmosis
• Babesiosis
• Piroplasmosis

Hormonal

• Deficiency of progesterone
• Accidental ingestion or injection of large odses of oestrogens or injection of cortico steroid

Nutritional

• Deficiency of Vitamin A
• Deficiency of Iodine

Physical

• Removal of C.L. before 5^th month age of pregnancy

Other causes

• Injecting carbocol in a pregnant animal for impaction of rumen without diagnosing pregnancy, injection pendistrin S.H. in a mastitis case, injecting carticosteroids
• External violent injury
• Severe systemic diseases
• Eating some plants rich in oestrogens or some poisonous plants

Prevention of abortions

• For viral diseases like Rinderpest and Foot & Mouth, advance vaccination can be done.
• For brucellosis vaccinate with CALF HOOD VACCINE when the female calf is about 6 to 8 weeks old. For pregnant animals also there is a vaccine / available from Denmark to protect against brucellosis. Listeriosis can be avoided by not feeding the silage which has been spoiled or which has got high PH.
• Avoid deficiency of Vitamin A and give mineral mixture and salt lick blocks having Iodine. By avoiding rats and rodents in the dairy animal premises and feed godowns, it is possible to avoid leptospirosis.

Prolapse of Vagina, Cervix & Eversion of Uterus in Bovines

• Prolapse of Vagina and Cervix is seen in prepartum stages more commonly while in post partum eversion of uterus is seen.

Causes

• Due to confinement to stables
• Feeding mouldy feeds or subteranian clover of plants and grasses having oestrogens.
• irritation of vagina, bladder and intestines leading to contractions of vagina and cervix.
• Over distension of abdomen or excessive amounts of loose pelvic fat causing increasing intrapelvic pressure.
• Cystic ovarian condition for a long period
• Due to secretion of oestrogenic hormones from placenta seen in the last 2 to 3 months of gestation
• Too much slope in the cow byre

Symptoms

• The prolapsed mass of vagina and cervix of a tennis ball size to that of a large football size is seen. The size will be large due to prolapsed of bladder and retension of urine.
• In eversion of uterus the placenta may be retained or the uterine coruncles are seen on the surface of the everted uterus. The everted mass if big, is seen as a hanging bag almost equal to the size of a calf.
• The animal expresses pain, anxiety, anorexia increased respiration and pulse.
• If bleeding is there from the cotyledons the animal may die due to shock.
• Deaths are recorded in 5 to 18 percent cases.

The owner should do the following in case of prepartum prolapsed

• Cleaning the prolapsed parts by washing with boiled and cooled clean water or potassium permanganate is added to water to get a light pink colour and is used for washing.
• In a clean wet cloth the prolapsed portion has to be covered and water is poured over it now and then to keep it cool and wet and should be keep clean. Alternately a plastic paper is wrapped around the prolapsed portion to keep it moist and clean.
• The hind legs are elevated by 9' to 12' when compared to front legs and tied with ropes on either side in four feed wide space.
• The prolapsed portion should be lifted up towards the base of the tail once in 2 to 3 hours to relieve and pressure due to urine in the bladder.
• Put the animal on gruel and hay water and given green or dry fodder 1/3 that of the usual quantity for the next one week. (Avoid such fodders, which have oestrogenic substances)

Line of Treatment

• Give epidural anesthesia between the last lumbar and first coccygeal vertebrae or between first and second coccygeal vertebrae (5 to 8 ml of 2% local anesthetic is used)
• Gently lift the prolapsed portion towards base of the tail to relieve the pressure of urine in the bladder
• Wash with potassium permanganate lotion and after through cleaning any severe lacerations are sutured with continuous sutures using chromic catgut.
• Apply M & B antiseptic cream and first push portion very near the vulval lips and finally the portion away from the vulval lips.
• If progesterone deficiency or excess of oestrogens have been suspected, inject daily 50 to 100 mg of progesterone l/m or 500 mg of prolution depot. In case of cystic ovaries with such prolapsed it is advised to give 1500 to 2000 of H.C.G.

Dry matter

7.99 kg

Total digestible nutrients

4.98 kg

crude protien

0.96g

Milk quality testing

• Milk forms an important constituent of diet. Regarding quality of milkcertain standards have been set up in order to pass it for human consimption.
• According to it, cow milk should have 3.5% fat, 8.5% SNF whereas buffalo milk should contain 5% fat and 9% SNF.
• In order to test the quality of milk the following tests are being conducted in the milk collection centers

Tests for colour, taste and odour

Colour

• The colour of milk get changed due to adulteration.
• Milk with abnormal colour is not fit for human consumption.

Taste

• Milk should have normal taste. Milk with bitter or
• sour taste are generally not considered to be fit for human consumption.

Odour

• Milk should have normal odour.

Testing of fat content in milk

• Estimation of fat content is being done during collection of milk from the producers.
• Normally Gurbers method is being followed which is considered to be the traditional method. But recently Electronic milk tester is being used in many parts of the country.
• SNF can be defined as the remaining constituents of milk other than fat. They are tested by using lactometer.
• Fixation of price to milk is being done by taking into consideration both fat and SNF content of milk.

Reasons for fluctuations of fat & SNF content in milk

Breed variation

• Inversely related to the age of the animal
• Fat content of milk decreases when the animal is frightened or if it is suffering from any disease
• Fat content increases from 15 days after calving till 9 months.
• Fat content increases following slight exercise.

To get the remunerative price for the producers

• Adulteration of milk with water should never be done
• Never supply milk to the societies, which follow malpractices regarding measurement.
• Supply milk to the societies, which pay according to the fat content of milk.