Dairy
May
2000
Lameness in a Dairy Herd
Dr.
Alan Rathwell, DVM DAIRY COUNTY NO. LBS. 2X MILK FAT PROT DOT HERITAGE
DAIRY TATE 434 90.7 2X 23309 910 750 03/23 MACTOC
FARM OKTIBBEHA 188 81.0 2X 23704 876 777 03/30 MS.STATE
UNIVERSITY OKTIBBEHA 178 79.4 2X 18440 719 615 03/06 COASTAL
PLAIN EXP STA NEWTON 144 77.7 2X 21532 761 684 03/13 MACTOC
FARM OKTIBBEHA 187 75.6 2X 23941 890 781 03/09 MELVIN
NICHOLSON NEWTON 125 75.2 2X 22330 772 746 02/29 RONALD
H CLARK LINCOLN 83 75.1 2X 21142 730 698 03/07 THOMPSON
BROTHERS MARSHALL 129 71.8 2X 20815 773 665 03/06 JEFCOAT
& WILLIAMS DAIRY JONES 70 71.4 2X 20386 677 645 03/20 DIXIE
DAIRY SALES CARROLL 344 71.3 2X 19066 715 600 03/20 FREEMAN
DAIRY PIKE 126 70.9 2X 20734 694 702 03/24 NORTH
MS BR EXP STA MARSHALL 112 70.5 2X 20244 720 651 03/15 BRAD
BEAN AMITE 235 69.8 2X 21226 810 688 03/16 MELVIN
NICHOLSON NEWTON 127 69.2 2X 22191 773 741 03/28 ROWZEE
JERSEY FARM NEWTON 154 69.0 2X 17474 813 677 03/21 J
& L DAIRY WALTHALL 206 68.3 2X 20391 624 653 03/20 J
& J JERSEY JONES 14 68.2 2X 16009 708 593 03/20 DAVID
ROBINSON & SONS RANKIN 138 67.4 2X 20723 731 641 03/20 CAL
MAINE FOODS DAIRY HINDS 1655 66.1 3X 19442 701 627 03/09 PAUL
W EDWARDS NEWTON 144 66.0 2X 17993 668 590 03/13 G
& B DAIRY LINCOLN 65 65.8 2X 20158 840 738 03/02 A
L BOYD JR WALTHALL 75 63.6 2X 20323 649 652 03/21 LEON
BARDWELL DAIRY LINCOLN 48 62.5 2X 19707 653 618 03/04 TODD
& JERRY BULLOCK PIKE 119 61.5 2X 17534 628 564 03/16 RAY
GALLOP AND SONS MONROE 80 60.6 2X 17733 586 572 03/22
MSU Veterinarian School
Lameness in dairy cattle is associated with serious direct
and indirect economic losses. Direct losses include milk
production that can be reduced as much as 40%, depending on
the stage of lactation and the severity of the lameness. In
some studies the average loss was estimated at 10% of the
affected cowís annual milk production. Other direct
losses include veterinary fees, medicine costs, extra labor
and loss of body weight.
The indirect costs can be as great as direct costs and would
include: delayed estrus, silent estrus, increased days open,
and early culling associated with loss of genetic potential.
Calculating the actual dollar loss of lameness can be very
difficult because of these indirect costs. Most experts
agree that these costs are very significant and in some
cases can be the difference between profit and loss in a
dairy operation.
Lameness in dairy cattle is a multi-factorial disorder.
Factors that have been reported to contribute to the
development of lameness include improper nutrition (rumen
acidosis), the environment, infection, genetic, and
human/animal behavior. Diagnosis and treatment
recommendations of specific causes of lameness in a herd
involve investigating each of these factors. This article
deals with the three major causes of lameness and how each
one relates to these factors in a herd.
Footrot (Interdigital necrobasolosis)
Footrot is an infectious disease of cattle with
clinical signs of lameness characterized by inflammation and
swelling of the tissue between the toes. It is caused by a
break in the skin and allows Fusobacterium
necrophorum and Bacterioides melaninogenicus to
invade. Both of these organisms live in the environment and
are common to all farms. The major contributing factor to an
outbreak of this disease is cattle standing in muddy lots or
walking in areas with sharp objects (rocks, stubble) that
cause trauma to the area between the toes. The clinical
signs include sudden onset of mild to severe lameness in one
or more limbs. The space between the toes becomes swollen
and painful and in many cases the toes appear to spread
apart. Prevention involves removing factors that cause
trauma to the interdigital space and cleaning areas where
the organisms survive. For example, cattle should be moved
off stubble and stone paths and other areas that can cause
injury. Draining or cleaning wet zones and removing manure
slurry more frequently should eliminate areas where the
organism can survive. Treatment consists of systemic
antibiotics such as oxytetracycline or penicillin. However,
one must be conscious of potential milk residues when using
these products. Other antibiotics such as NaxcelÆ or
ExcenelÆ my also be used to eliminate drug
withdrawals.
Papillomatous Digital Dermatitis (foot warts, heal
warts, hairy foot warts)
Foot warts of cattle is an infectious and contagious
disease that has increased dramatically in North America
over the past several years. Some believe that this disease
may now be the major cause of lameness in dairy cattle in
many areas. It was originally thought to be primarily a
disease of housed dairy cattle but is now seen in dairy
cattle that are pastured as well. Foot warts appear as a
granular, reddened, proliferative swelling at the back
interdigital area of the rear feet. It may spread to the
front interdigital area and the bulbs of the heel and also
be seen in the front feet. When viewed closely, the hairs of
the skin tend to be erect giving the lesion of a hairy
appearance. It is extremely painful and slight pressure will
elicit a response from the cow. Cows often stand on their
toes and are reluctant to place weight on the affected heel.
Cattle with foot warts are generally not febrile (normal
temperature) and will eat if given the opportunity. As the
disease progresses the lesions slowly enlarge and become
raised masses of two to six centimeters in diameter. They
can be red, gray or black, and are oval or "U" shaped. Long
filaments of keratin that resemble thickened hairs usually
develop on the lesion surface. These lesions bleed easily if
traumatized.
Once introduced into a herd, this disease spreads rapidly
among adult cows often affecting the majority of animals
within the first year of infection. Once established in a
herd, the lameness is most commonly seen in lactating
heifers and young cows usually following their entry into
the milking herd. The agent causing hairy heel warts is
controversial. It is definitely been shown to be infectious,
but the exact cause is still under review. There is
currently not an effective vaccine. The best prevention is
to not introduce cattle into the herd from herds known to
have hairy heel warts. If cattle need to be purchased and
their origin is unknown, these animals should be kept
separate until a thorough evaluation of their feet is
undertaken to determine that they do not have any lesions.
There has also been a strong association between wet,
corrals and foot warts. Muddy lots or walkways should be
eliminated or minimized.
There are many different treatment regimes that have been
used to treat and control hairy heel warts. One of the first
attempts was footbaths using copper sulfate, formalin or
antibiotics. The major difficulty with footbaths is keeping
them clean and maintaining proper concentrations of the
treatment agent. Cleaning and bandaging with antibiotics
such as oxytetracycline has been shown to be very effective.
This is the treatment of choice for severely affected cows
and also for cows at dry off. For routine treatment of large
groups of cows, oxytetracycline can be mixed with water to
formulate a 25 mg/ml solution and sprayed on the heels of
all cows in the herd once daily for five days and then every
other day for three additional treatments. This regime
should be repeated on a monthly basis until the disease is
well under control. Some herds have reported that this
treatment was not effective. But upon closer investigation,
a lower concentration of solution was used or well water
which contained high levels calcium and iron had inactivated
the oxytetracycline. It is recommended that distilled water
be purchased for preparing this solution. It is extremely
important to treat the entire herd for a prolonged period to
control this problem.
Laminitis
It is a toss up whether laminitis or foot warts is
the most common cause of lameness in dairy herds. Laminitis
can be expressed as many different syndromes such as sole
abscesses, white line disease, sole hemorrhage, or sole
ulcers. There are numerous factors associated with this
disorder, but nutrition is the major contributor. The
environment can also play a role. Lack of either fiber or
effective fiber in a ration can lead to rumen acidosis and
laminitis. We see herds where there is adequate fiber in the
ration from roughage sources, but this fiber has been
processed so short that it does not effectively form a mat
in the rumen which would lead to cud chewing and saliva
production. Other herds have enough effective fiber yet
still produce excessive lactic acid in the rumen when
concentrates are slug fed ahead of forage intake. One of the
most effective ways of detecting rumen acidosis is through
analyzing DHI fat and protein records. Cows, especially
fresh and peak cows that have very narrow fat to protein
ratios or protein and fat inversions, are at risk of having
rumen acidosis. The normal healthy spread between butterfat
and protein is .5%, with butterfat being higher than
protein. When this gap is less than .5%, then it suggests
that there could be rumen acidosis due to the overproduction
of lactic acid.
As we head into the summer months, I have seen another
laminitis phenomenon. The herd had adequate roughage in
their diet, but because sprinklers were kept on in the
feeding area, cows would not go and lie down. Instead, they
continued to stand on the concrete for up to 16 to 18 hours
a day. Cows are not physiologically designed to spend long
periods of time on their feet, especially on concrete, and
this alone can precipitate an outbreak of laminitis.
Lameness in cattle is an economically devastating disease.
We have discussed the three major causes of lameness in
herds and all are preventable. However, in most dairies it
will take a change in management and also an increased
awareness in biosecurity in order to prevent an outbreak of
this disease.
Congratulations
The 2000 Mississippi News Network Livestock Farmer
of the Year was presented to Brad and Amy Bean of Amite
County. This is the second consecutive year that a dairy
producer has received the award. Jay and Lori Bacot of
Walthall County received this award last year. In addition
to the recognition, Brad and Amy will receive a new Ford
truck to use for one year.
Top 25 herds enrolled on supervised DHIA testing
programs by test day energy corrected milk for all cows.
COWS
ECM
3X
** ECM = (.3246 x test day milk) + (12.86 x test day lbs.
fat) + (7.04 x test day lbs. protein)
Field Day
The
annual Mississippi Statewide Dairy Field Day is quickly
approaching. The field day will be held on Thursday, May 18,
2000 at the Conerly Dairy Farm near Tylertown. Directions to
the Conerlyís are; (From Tylertown, take Hwy. 27
South approximately 8 miles and turn East (left) onto Simon
Road (last road before the MS/LA state line). Follow Simon
Road 2.5 miles to dairy on right. Signs will be posted.)
Numerous topics will be discussed including hairy heel
warts, reproduction, Johneís disease, and milking
machine function. The program will begin at 9:20 a.m. and
conclude after lunch following our featured guest speaker,
Mr. Bill Chitwood from Sulphur Oklahoma. Lunch will be
provided, complements of the many sponsors who are
supporting the field day.
For more information contact your county agent.
Upcoming Events
May 18 ñ Statewide Dairy Field Day, Conerly Farms,
Tylertown, MS
June 2 ñ Louisiana/Mississippi Dairy Heifer Sale,
Pike Co. Fairgrounds, McComb, MS
June 7 ñ MSU Agriculture and Forestry Summit, Jackson
Hilton, Jackson, MS
Nov. 9 ñ Mississippi/Louisiana Dairy Mgt. Conference,
Percy Quin State Park, McComb MS
April 2000 BFP Price
Dr. C.
W. "Bill" Herndon
Dairy Economist, MSU
North
Mississippi: $12.63 North
Central Mississippi: $12.83 South
Central Mississippi: $13.03 South
Mississippi: $13.13 Coastal
Mississippi: $13.23
Class I Milk Price Increases by 55 cents to $14.58
After the USDA implemented Federal Order reform on
January 1, 2000, this newsletter began reporting the
Advanced Class I milk price as a barometer or indicator of
the direction and magnitude of movements in milk prices. The
Advanced Class I milk price is to be announced by the USDA
each month on the Friday on or before the 23rd of
each month and will represent the Class I milk price for the
next (or subsequent) month. Thus, the USDA announced on
April 21 that the May 2000 Advanced Class I "base" milk
price was $11.48 per cwt. (for 3.5% butterfat milk). After
adding the $3.10 Class I price differential for the pricing
zone which includes Atlanta and Starkville (Oktibbeha
County) to the "base" price, the Advanced Class I milk price
for May was reported as $14.58 per cwt. (Please review the
map located on the back page of this newsletter and note
that the Mississippi counties grouped in Zones 6, 7 and 8
are ALL part of the $3.10 Class I price differential area.)
The procedure employed by the USDA to calculate the Advanced
Class I milk price is described below in this issue of the
newsletter.
The near-term market outlook for dairy product and milk
prices continues to be described as discouraging and have
resulted in the very bleak economic forecast for dairy
farmers. Cheese and nonfat dry milk prices continue to be
mired at government support levels and these low prices have
been attributed to strong milk production. Nationwide, dairy
farmers reacted to favorable milk-feed price ratios and have
increased the number of dairy cows in their herds where
these cows have produced more and more milk per cow. The
combination of these two factors has resulted in a flood of
milk overwhelming the market and driving down dairy product
and milk prices. Surprising, almost all of the states in the
Southeast have also increased milk output during 2000 versus
1999 (see below for details). These burdensome milk supplies
have caused 120 to 130 loads of milk being exported out of
Florida during each week in April to processing plants
located in the Middle Atlantic and Northeast. These low
dairy prices have forced the USDAís Commodity Credit
Corporation (CCC) to maintain its weekly purchases of 12 to
15 million pounds of nonfat dry milk and block and processed
cheddar cheese products. Dairy analysts have held firm in
their prediction that milk prices will linger at the current
depressed levels where the Class III milk price will
languish below $10.00 per cwt. for the next several months.
A recovery in milk prices is then expected as the fall
deficit months arrive and milk prices experience their usual
seasonal upward trend and should reach their peak in either
October or November. Despite all the gloomy news, butter
prices have been astounding and have remained above $1.00
per pound. The strength in butter prices have bolstered
Class I milk prices and have offered some glimmer of
optimism for dairy farmers. The May Advanced Class I price
(for the Atlanta and Starkville, Zones 6, 7 and 8) was
reported at $14.58 per cwt. and represents an
INCREASE of 55 cents per cwt. (+3.9%) ABOVE the
corresponding April price of $14.03. The May 2000 Class I
price is a 12 cents per cwt. (or +0.8%) LOWER than
the May 1999 Class I price of $14.70. Dairy producers should
be aware that the May Class I price will be the most
important price that will influence the revenues derived
from the sale of their milk produced during May. Because 60
to 65 percent of Mississippi milk is utilized as Class I
products, farmers will not realize any increase in revenues
caused by this 55-cent increase in the May Class I price
until they receive their "settlement" checks in mid-June as
payment for milk sold in May 2000.
Milk Production
Ponderous milk supplies have and are continuing to
plague the dairy industry as U.S. dairy farmers milk more
cows which have responded to the ample amount of high
quality feed being fed and have produced more milk output
per cow. Milk production statistics for March and the first
3 months of 2000 indicate that national output has increased
3.4% and 5.1%, respectively. There were 59,000 more cows in
the national milk herd during March 2000 versus March 1999
and these cows produced an average of 45 more pounds per cow
between these two periods. The 20 states that USDA report
monthly production data recorded a 3.8% increase this March
compared the last March where Idaho (+12.7%), Indiana
(+13.3%) and New Mexico (+11.5) all noted doubled-digit
increases. More revealing is a review of the statistics for
the first quarter of 2000 that found only 9 states reporting
declining milk production while the other 41 states recorded
constant or increased output. Remarkably, eight of the 11
southeastern states documented growth in milk production and
were led by Virginia (+7.3%), Kentucky (+4.5), Arkansas
(+4.4%), Louisiana (+1.4%) and Mississippi (+1.3%) during
the first quarter of 2000 compared to the same period of
1999. The three states of this region that experienced
decreased milk output over these periods were Tennessee
(-1.3%), South Carolina (-1.0%) and North Carolina (-0.3%).
Mississippi produced 2 million more pounds (162 versus 160
million pounds) during the first three months of 2000 while
milking 3,000 fewer cows (36,000 versus 39,000) and where
these cows produced an average of almost 300 more pounds per
cow between these two time periods. Persistent cool and
rainy weather in the South has prolonged the "spring flush"
while milk output is growing in the northern areas across
the country as milder temperatures bolsters milk output.
With sustained moderate feed costs and ideal weather
conditions augmenting milk output per cow, it appears that
the only thing that could curtail milk production is the
reduction in the number of cows through increased culling of
dairy herds.
Dairy Product Prices
The burdensome supplies of milk have continued to
depress dairy product prices, especially for cheddar cheese
and nonfat milk powder, which have languished at or near the
CCC support price levels for the past several months.
However, butter remains as the singular positive element for
a very dismal dairy market situation with Grade AA butter
prices exceeding $1.00 per pound for all of April. Cheddar
cheese has shown some up and down price movements but have
remained "stuck" at or slightly below the government
support levels of $1.10 and $1.085 per pound for 40# block
and barrel cheddar cheese, respectively. The situation for
nonfat dry milk (NDM) continues to be where NO
price movements have occurred during the past six months and
remains only slightly above the government support level of
$1.01 per pound. On the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME),
40# block prices were reported at $1.1125 on March 17 and
have been depressed by the expanding milk supplies and
growing amounts of distressed milk and fell to $1.0925 on
April 26 -- a 2-cent (-1.8%) decrease over this 5+ week
period. Barrel cheddar cheese has displayed some price
movements and was reported at $1.10 per pound on April 26
(or slightly greater than the corresponding 40# block price)
and had surprisingly increased 0.75 cents (+0.7%) compared
to $1.0925 on March 17. On March 17, the Grade AA butter
price was 98 cents per pound compared to $1.08 on April 26
-- an increase of 10 cents (+10.2%) per pound. Since
September 1999, Grade A NDM prices on the CME have remained
absolutely constant near the government support price level
and were recorded at $1.03 per pound. Growing amounts of
troublesome milk supplies have forced the CCC to sustain its
weekly purchases of non-fortified NDM and promoted the
acquisition of processed and block cheddar cheese during
March and April. Between October 1 and April 21, the CCC has
purchased almost 238 million pounds of non-fortified NDM and
3.1 million pounds of processed and block cheddar
cheeses.
Near-term Market Outlook
The dreary outlook for 2000 continues to plague the
dairy industry as it struggles to manage and dispose of
burgeoning milk supplies and the expansive inventories of
dairy products. Milk and dairy product prices are expected
to remain depressed and linger near government price support
levels through June or July with the Class I milk price in
Mississippi (Starkville zone) remaining below or near the
$15.00 per cwt. level. With the onset hot and humid summer
weather and increasing demand as schools reopen this fall,
the customary seasonal upward trend in prices are expected
with a peak for Class I milk predicted near $16.00 to $17.00
during October or November. The April Class III (which
replaced the BFP) is expected to fall below the $9.50 per
cwt. level and be reported near $9.40 level. The CME
reported on April 26 that the Class III futures contracts
settlement prices were $9.45 for the April contract, $9.64
for May, $10.55 for June, and $11.55 for July. The flood of
"spring flush" milk persists and has overwhelmed the market
and there are very few people in the dairy industry that
offer much hope for any reasonable price increases until
either unfavorable summer weather or dairy herd culling
starts to curb excessive milk supplies. However, dairy
farmers and forecasters need to remember that milk prices
during the past decade have been very volatile and
(wildly) responsive to weather conditions, forage quality
and availability, feed costs, and dairy policy and programs
that have influenced the quantity of milk production.
Calculating Monthly Advanced Class I Milk Prices
Since the USDA implemented the elements specified
under Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) reform on January
1, 2000, the Advanced Class I milk price has become the
single milk price which has the most influence on the amount
milk sales revenues generated each month by Mississippi and
Southern dairy farmers. The Advanced Class I milk price
reported above in this newsletter represents the value of
skim milk and butterfat in the location or price
differential zone that includes Atlanta, Georgia and
Starkville, Mississippi (or Zones 6, 7 and 8 on the map
found below). This Advanced Class I milk price was
calculated using the higher of either the Advanced Class III
and Class IV Skim Milk Pricing Factors, which was the Class
IV skim milk price of $7.70 per cwt. for May. Added to this
Class I "mover" price of $7.70 is the $3.10 per cwt. Class I
location differential for the Atlanta and Starkville zone.
Thus, the May Class I advanced skim milk price for this zone
was $10.80 per cwt. (or $7.70 plus $3.10). The Class I
butterfat price is estimated using the Advanced Butterfat
Pricing Factor that was announced for May at $1.1559 per
pound plus the quotient of dividing the $3.10 Class I
differential by 100. So, the May Class I butterfat price was
reported at $1.1869 ($1.1559 plus $0.031) for the Atlanta
pricing zone. To calculate the Advanced Class I milk price
at 3.5% Butterfat for May, you need to multiply the Advanced
Class I Skim Milk Price ($10.80 per cwt., see above) by
0.965 -- which equals $10.4220 per cwt. Then, multiply the
Advanced Class I Butterfat Price ($1.1869 per pound, see
above) by 3.5 (number of pounds of butterfat found in a cwt.
of 3.5% BF milk) ñ which equals $4.15415 per cwt.
Now, all that remains to be done is to simply add the
Advanced Class I Skim Milk Price of $10.4220 to the Advanced
Class I Butterfat Price of $4.15415. This addition results
in an Advanced Class I milk price of $14.57615 that is then
announced by the USDA as $14.58 per cwt., after rounding to
the nearest cent. Because about 65% of the milk marketed and
pooled by dairy farmers in Mississippi on the Southeast
Federal Order was been used in Class I products, this
Advanced Class I milk price has and will be the most
important milk price affecting dairy farm incomes and
profitability.
Southeast "Blend" Increases to $12.83 in March
The Southeast Federal Order Milk Market
Administrator reported the March 2000 "blend" or uniform
price for milk delivered in Atlanta and Starkville "base"
zone of Federal Order (FO) #7 at $12.83 per cwt. for 3.5%
Butterfat milk. (Please see the Mississippi map for zones
where Zone 5 is minus $0.20, Zone 6, 7 and 8 are the "base"
zones, Zones 9 is plus $0.20, Zone 10 is plus $0.30, and
Zone 11 is plus $0.40 per cwt. The March "blend" price of
$12.83 for the "base" zone of FO #7 represents a INCREASE of
9 cents per cwt. (+0.6%) compared to the February price of
$12.73. The March 2000 blend price is "whopping" $5.36 (or
ñ29.5%) BELOW the March 1999 blend price of
$18.19. Average butterfat test in each of the four milk
class categories has a direct impact on the value of milk
pooled in FO #7 and the amount of milk revenues available to
be distributed to dairy farmers (but NOT reported in this
newsletter). For March, the average butterfat test for each
milk class was: Class I, 2.156%; Class II, 8.284%; Class
III, 4.260%; and, Class IV, 6.507%. Factoring the average
butterfat test, or number of pounds of butterfat, with the
pounds of skim milk used in each of the four milk classes
provides what this newsletter will describe as the "net"
milk price for each class of milk. The March "blend" price
was determined using the following factors: (1) a "net"
Class I price of $12.61 on 62.44% of the milk marketed; (2)
the "net" price for Class II of $15.75 on 10.24% of the
milk; (3) a "net" price of $10.40 on 17.20% of the milk used
for Class III products; and, (4) the "net" Class IV price of
$14.01 on 10.12% of the milk marketed. This newsletter will
be publishing a "revised" map of Mississippi depicting the
changes in the pricing zones which were the result of
federal order reform, but this "new" map is not yet
available at this time of publishing in this newsletter.
North
Mississippi: $14.38 North
Central Mississippi: $14.58 South
Central Mississippi: $14.78 South
Mississippi: $14.88 Coastal
Mississippi: $14.98
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Last Modified: Wednesday, 18-Feb-04 11:33:14
URL: http://msucares.com/newsletters/dairy/2000/200005.html
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