Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Early detection of ketosis can provide invaluable data

Early detection of ketosis can provide dairy farmers with invaluable data to improve their cattle’s health and productivity. 

In a health monitoring program, a cow’s ketone levels can be measured in milk, blood or urine samples weekly for two to three weeks post-calving. Advancements in milking systems are incorporating ketone measurement into the milking routine and may offer more opportunities for insights into the disease.

Khaled Gohary, a recent PhD graduate in Population Medicine, is working with milking equipment manufacturer DeLaval and the University of Guelph to study DeLaval’s Herd Navigator herd management system. Gohary is completing the research through a Mitacs Accelerate internship, funded in partnership with DeLaval Canada. With Mitacs Accelerate support, postdoctoral fellows apply their specialized expertise to business-related research challenges, spending half their time working with the industry partner and the remainder at the university advancing the research under the guidance of a faculty supervisor. Gohary’s supervisor is Dr. Stephen LeBlanc, Population Medicine.

Herd Navigator measures key health indicators related to ketosis, mastitis, reproductive performance, and nutrition. The Herd Navigator system can sample a cow’s milk during milking and, based on a mathematical risk assessment for each cow, determine which indicators will be measured at a particular milking, taking into account the cow’s stage of lactation, reproductive status, and recent test results.

The system allows for daily sampling and provides a greater scope of monitoring and interpretation than is practical with conventional methods. Gohary’s research will focus on gaining new insights into the patterns and impacts of ketosis and development of strategies for early response to ketosis. Cows with ketosis are at risk of developing other diseases, such as displaced abomasum and metritis which affect both health and productivity. “Can we use this information to analyze the pattern of disease?” he says. “How long do animals stay ill? We can look at one day of higher level ketones versus three days and relate that to their milk production.”

Gohary completed his DVM in Egypt and a herd health residency at University of California and defended his PhD at OVC late last year. He began the Mitacs Fellowship in April 2014 and is now in the process of collecting data from many of the 20-plus herds using this technology in Canada.

Cows will still be treated conventionally when diagnosed, but Gohary’s research may also offer insight into treatment. Next steps will include a clinical trial in spring 2015 to look at ketosis treatment. “If we start treatment earlier, is that intervention helpful to cows?” he adds.

The Herd Navigator system also measures progesterone which indicates pregnancy status and ovarian activity. Future research could also analyze ketone patterns to see if high ketone levels affect progesterone levels after calving and the cow’s ability to get pregnant.

Follow us @OntVetCollege

Views: 164

Comments are closed for this blog post

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

What Separates the Top-Tier Pork Producers from the Rest?

Some would say the pork industry is on the other side of the biggest financial downturn the industry has seen for the last 30 years. Others say we are not quite there yet. In a Farm Credit peer benchmarking review, Chris Ford, vice president corporate swine lender with Farm Credit, looked back over the past several years to see what differentiated pork operations that have done well and those that have struggled. 1. Production is king. “Producers who have adhered to strong biosecurity measures, embraced technology and have taken a mindset of getting as much production out the door as possible have had as much success as anybody in this industry,” Ford says. 2. Good bookkeeping matters. “Those who have done a nice job with financial acumen and understanding where they’re at from a financial standpoint have survived this downturn,” Ford says. “As a lender, we see that every day. Those producers that keep good sets of books and understand their cost of production make the best decisions

3rd Annual BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark Raises $20,000 for Iowa Food Banks

Hundreds of Iowans gathered at Principal Park on June 21 for the third annual BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark, raising more than $20,000 to support food banks across the state. The family-friendly event was presented by the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) in partnership with the Iowa Cubs and Fareway Stores. “Events like BBQ & Brew show how strong our communities are when we come together for a common cause,” said Doug Gruver, IPPA board member and two-time event volunteer. “Giving back is at the heart of what we do as pork producers. Whether it’s raising food or raising funds, we’re proud to serve Iowans beyond the farm. This event is also a great opportunity to showcase the high-quality product we raise in Iowa and the incredible BBQ talent and passion of the teams who compete.” This year’s event featured 24 backyard barbecue teams competing for $12,000 in prize money across three pork categories: loin, ribs, and butt. Fareway Stores played a critical role in making the event pos

Ontario pasture lands get $5M boost

Canada and Ontario are investing $5M to improve community pastures, boost sustainability, support cattle farmers, and enhance soil health through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

Soy Canada annual meeting emphasizes opportunity and innovation amid industry challenges

Soy Canada’s annual meeting focussed on solutions that position Canadian soy for success during industry presentations and discussions at this year’s event. The theme, Gather and Grow, challenged participants to focus on finding opportunities amid global challenges created by conflict, uncertainty and volatility.

Canada’s dairy, poultry and egg farmers welcome the passage of Bill C-202

 Canada’s dairy, poultry and egg farmers welcome any effort aimed at ensuring no further supply managed concessions are made in trade negotiations, such as Bill C-202, An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service