Scientific Discoveries Advance Animal Health and Performance
The job of nutritionists, veterinarians, and dairy producers, is to keep
dairy cattle healthy, productive and profitable.
For many decades, nutritional science has been focused on
identifying nutrients, such as proteins, vitamins, and minerals and
understanding their role in biological processes. Knowing how these
nutrients reinforce the health of the cow and thereby help prevent
diseases resulting from their deficiencies, is a major objective of dairy
producers today.
More recently, a new science, referred to as Nutrigenomics, has
emerged as a result of significant developments in genetic research.
Nutrigenomics is the study of molecular relationships between genes,
their response to specific nutrients, and how those relationships can
impact animal health and performance.
Through the use of microarray technology, research scientists can
now study the impact of nutrients on specific genes and their genetic
expression.
Just as in humans, animal health is directly related to diet and
nutrition.
Subtle changes in animal diets can "turn on" or "turn off" specific
genes responsible for cellular health. This gene regulation, in turn,
impacts the overall health of the animal.
Researchers, of course, want positive gene regulation outcomes and
can now determine which combination of nutrients specifically
express those genes through Nutrigenomics.
Nutrigenomics is now making its way out of laboratories and onto the
farm, where improved knowledge about the role of dietary nutrients
in activating gene expression is having an impact on herd health and
productivity.
Prince Agri Products has applied these key, scientific findings, from
this revolutionary new science, through its Gen-Active Technology™
platform and is using this platform to develop innovative nutritional
products designed to support normal animal health.
The Immune System of Ruminants
A healthy immune system is paramount in protecting dairy cows
against bacterial and viral pathogens while reducing a wide range of
disease associated with these organisms.
The immune system in the dairy cow consists of two distinct but
interactive systems. The innate system is comprised of natural
barriers (skin, stomach acids, enzymes, etc.) and white blood cells
(neutrophils and macrophages), which continually monitor for sites of
infection and pathogens and are the "first responders." The adaptive
or antibody system consists of other types of white blood cells whose
function is to provide "long term" protection against disease through
the production of pathogen-specific antibodies.
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Benefits of a Properly Functioning Immune System
The benefits of a healthy immune system are
many, and include reduced mastitis and
metritis, lower somatic cell count, less death
loss and culls, better reproductive efficiency
and increased milk production. Proper
management and good nutrition can help
reduce the occurrence of disease in dairy
cattle, which can result in lower treatment
costs and more days spent in profitable milk
production, which can increase total income.
It is far more important and
cost effective to promote health,
by maintaining a healthy immune
system, than it is to treat disease.
Maintaining a healthy immune system
is one of the dairy producer's most
economically rewarding
management tools.
Maintaining a healthy immune
system can help to:
- Reduce somatic cell count
- Reduce cases of mastitis
- Reduce cases of metritis
- Reduce death loss and culls
- Reduce cows in the hospital pen
- Increase milk production
- Improve reproduction
Estimated Economic Impact of Disease
| Disease |
Average $/case |
| Mastitis (a) |
$300 |
| Metritis (b) |
$285 |
| Abortion (d) |
$555 |
| DA's (a) |
$340 |
| HBS (c) |
$2500 |
| Dead Cows (c) |
$2500 |
| (a) |
Guard, C. as cited by Van Saun R.J. 2000.
Proceedings: Western Canada Dairy Seminar.
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.
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| (b) |
Harmon, D.S. 2006. Proceedings: Mid South
Ruminant Nutrition Conference. Arlington, TX.
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| (c) |
Estimated replacement costs.
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| (d) |
De Vries, A. 2006. Economic value of pregnancy
in dairy cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 89:3876-3885
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