Salvaging a Dairy Farm Consisting of High Yielding Holstein Fresian Cows from Devastation and Closure Due to Outbreak

Krishan Dutta Rawat
2014 Advances in Animal and Veterinary Sciences  
|Present study used 'goat based' Johne's disease vaccine to save cows from imminent closure and restored health (weakness and emaciation) and productivity (milk production) in a dairy farm consisting of high yielding Holstein Friesian cows in the Alwar district of Rajasthan (India) in the year 2012. High yielding Holstein Fresian cows being susceptible to diseases including Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis suffered from an outbreak of JD. Affected cows exhibited significant
more » ... ion in milk yield (p<0.05). Other losses were due to forced removal, mortality and reduced productivity (infertility, stunted growth etc.). Heifers showed progressive weakness, stunting and delay in onset of heat (sexual maturity). 'Indigenous vaccine' helped not only in improving physical condition and weakness but also restored the productivity and milk yield. Cows recorded increasing trend in milk yield and at 90 days post vaccination milk production improved by >2.1 litres/day (total increase of 49 litres/day). Shedding of the MAP bacilli in feces of vaccinated cows was also reduced drastically and was completely stopped in some of the cows. Study showed that JD outbreak caused heavy losses in H/F breed of cows by way of early removal of cows, reduced fertility, drop in milk production. 'Indigenous goat based vaccine' not only restored health and productivity of affected cows but cured these cows of Johne's disease within 10 months period. Therefore, this vaccine can be used to restore productivity of large number of low and unproductive cows in the country due to ban on cow slaughter.
doi:10.14737/journal.aavs/2014/2.12.638.646 fatcat:ys2wwvejo5dtlj6xe5los44f3e