Oral and Poster Abstracts

61 Intensive Care - a Prerequisite to Controlling the Transition
Period in Dairy Cows
M. Skrivánek 1 , S. Slosárková 2 , P. Fleischer 2 , J. Doubek 1
1 University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno,
Department of Physiology, Brno, Czech Republic
2 University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Clinic
of Ruminant Diseases, Brno, Czech Republic
The transition period is the most important phase of the re/production
cycle. There occur a number of interrelated diseases, participating in
the so-called syndrome of periparturient crisis of dairy cows. The aim
was to evaluate the influence of intensive care of the animals during
this period on their health and re/production parameters. Two groups of
Holstein cows (n=2x15) within a 400 cows were evaluated. Following
parameters were used to check the state of health during the transition
period: 1) clinical score, 2) biochemical score, 3) milk score (always 1-
5 scores, 1 = physiological state, 5 = severe alteration), and 4) total
score (3-15 scores). Group I was control, group II was supplied with
Fortis additive products 21 days a. p. and 7 days p. p. (containing crude
fibre, energy, vitamins, macro- and micro-elements). The clinical score
was determined on the basis of BCS, temperature, urine examination,
digestive, reproductive and locomotion apparatus and mammary gland
evaluation. Biochemical score was determined based on blood
examination on days 1, 10 and 25 p. p. Serum samples were examined
for total proteins, Ca, P, Mg, AST, NEFA and BHB. Milk score was
determined using milk yield resp. fat and protein contents until resp. on
the 1 st yield test. Comparing the group I with the group II following
significant differences (p