Diagnóstico de la prevalencia de cetosis en vacas lecheras Holstein en el periodo posparto en la hacienda San Pedro de Zuleta “Mavevax”

Abstract

Ketosis generates complications in the health of dairy cows, which causes losses in production and consequently is the cause of important economic losses. Therefore, in the present research, the prevalence of ketosis in Holstein dairy cows up to 15 days postpartum in San Pedro de Zuleta ¨Mavevax¨ farm located in Imbabura Province was diagnosed. The study was carried out over a period of 60 days using 20 crossbred Holstein females with average weights of 550 kg, from which a blood sample was taken, and then strips were used to detect ketosis with the BHB Check Plus reader. After obtaining the results from the animals, the initial data were tabulated and then 300 ml propylene glycol (T1) was administered to 10 cows that were compared with the control treatment (T0), which consisted of the 10 remaining cows. A completely randomized design with 10 replicates per treatment was applied and the Student’s t-test was used to separate the means of the treatments. It was concluded that there is the presence of sub clinical ketosis because the level of beta - hydroxybutyrate is lower than 2.9 mmol/L; the beneficial effect of applying 300 ml of propylene glycol was evidenced in the cows of treatment 1, which not only decreased the presence of beta-hydroxybutyrate levels, but also exhibited a gradual recovery in both milk production and body condition. For this reason, it can be said that it is a viable alternative to avoid the presence of ketosis in the cattle herd.