Milk Drop, Firm Quarter and a Fodder Gap in a Crossbred Cow
Rajwinder keeps six crossbred cows in Kapurthala. Cow No. 3, in her third lactation and 45 days calved, has dropped from 15 to 11 litres per day in 10 days. The daily feed is 6 kg wheat straw, 5 kg of 60-day maize fodder, 1.5 kg cottonseed cake and 2.5 kg of a wheat-based concentrate, plus 30 g mineral mixture. Water comes from a trough cleaned once a week. Milk fat has fallen from 4.1% to 3.5%. One quarter of the udder feels firm, and milk from it shows flakes on a black plate. She has no fever and her appetite is normal. Green fodder will be finished in 8 days. The vet is 25 km away and charges Rs 600 per visit. Rajwinder wants to raise cottonseed cake to 3 kg per day to improve fat and milk. He has 200 kg of cottonseed cake and 50 kg of mineral mixture at home.
1. Is increasing cottonseed cake the right first response? Give your reasoning and the checks you would do before changing the ration.
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Increasing cottonseed cake is not the first step. A firm quarter with flakes on a black plate, a fat drop from 4.1% to 3.5% and a 4-litre fall in milk point to mastitis, possibly subclinical or mild clinical. More concentrate will not cure an infected quarter and can waste money. Checks: strip each quarter onto a black plate, do a CMT or at least a strip-cup test, take her temperature, look for pain or clots, and review water intake and trough hygiene, since the trough is cleaned only weekly. If the CMT is positive, treat as advised by the vet, discard milk during the withdrawal period and do not put that milk into the bulk tank. Only after mastitis is ruled out should the ration be adjusted. The Rs 600 visit is less than 4-5 days of lost milk at Rs 35 per litre, so calling the vet is economic.
2. Balance the concentrate allowance for 11 litres per day and identify the main gaps in the present ration.
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For 11 litres, a crossbred needs roughly 1 kg concentrate per 2.5 litres plus about 1-1.5 kg for maintenance: 11/2.5 = 4.4 kg plus 1 kg, about 5.4 kg. She is getting 4 kg (2.5 kg concentrate plus 1.5 kg cake), a gap of about 1.4 kg. Increase gradually over a week and split into two feeds to avoid acidosis. Green fodder at 5 kg is low; aim for 20-25 kg per day if available, with 5-6 kg straw. Mineral mixture at 30 g is low; use 50-60 g per day, plus free-choice salt and clean water. The 60-day maize is acceptable but should not be the only green. Raising cottonseed cake to 3 kg adds protein and fat but also cost; a balanced concentrate with maize, cake, bran and minerals is better than cake alone. Recheck milk after 10-14 days.
3. How should he handle the udder finding and the 8-day green fodder gap, keeping cost in view?
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For the udder: isolate the affected quarter, milk it last, wash hands and milking cluster, and do not sell milk showing flakes; follow the vet's treatment and the withdrawal period. For the 8-day fodder gap: buy green fodder from a neighbour or use berseem if available; do not suddenly feed large amounts of lush maize alone, which can cause acidosis. With only 8 days, silage-making is not practical, so bridge with straw plus a balanced concentrate and keep the rumen stable. Cost check: 4 litres lost per day is about Rs 140; a Rs 600 vet visit and a few days of treatment are justified. Do not use extra cottonseed cake as a substitute for treatment, and do not exceed the recommended quantity, because gossypol risk and cost both rise.