A downer cow can go down due to multiple causes. Would you like to know what she is lacking and whether it’s worth continuing treatment? With BoviLab, you measure the key parameters and have a good indication of the prognosis using the muscle enzymes CK and AST. BoviLab makes the cause visible and helps to support choices. A recent practical example of the downer cow slide illustrates this.
On a dairy farm of 150 dairy cows in Brabant, a fresh cow suffered from milk fever (hypocalcaemia). The dairy farmer monitors the transition period every three months through blood tests.
At the time of the blood test, the cow could not stand for more than half a day. The dairy farmer commissioned a blood test with BoviLab because the cow has a history of hypocalcaemia and the dairy farmer wanted to know if it was beneficial to continue with this cow.
The results showed that the calcium and phosphorus levels were below the reference values. The combination of CK and AST results indicated a good prognosis. These two muscle enzymes indicate the degree of muscle damage. After a calcium infusion and a phosphorus bolus, the cow was back on her feet within half an hour.
Because the farmer is testing blood every three months on the transition cows and because of the incident with the downer cow, he decided to advance the upcoming blood test. This way, he can anticipate any problems in the herd.
