Malnutrition as the cause of recumbency in suckler cows associated with Trypanosoma theileri infection.

Background: Recumbent cows are a diagnostic challenge because of a wide range of differential diagnoses, which include trauma, neurological and metabolic disorders, malnutrition and mineral deficiencies. This case report describes recumbent suckler cows that presented as a herd problem. In addition to weakness due to inanition, Cu and Se deficiencies were considered as possible aetiologies of the recumbency.

Digestibility and protein utilization in wethers fed whole-crop barley or grass silages harvested at different maturity stages, with or without protein supplementation1.

Effects of whole-crop barley and grass silages harvested at different maturity stages, with or without protein supplementation, on intake, in vivo digestibility, feces characteristics, and protein utilization in wethers were evaluated. Whole-crop barley silage harvested at heading stage (BH) and at medium milk stage (BM), grass silage (GE) taken at the flag leaf-early heading stage, and grass silage (GL) taken at medium-late heading stage were fed to eight wethers in two 4 × 4 Latin squares. Wethers in one square were fed supplementary rapeseed meal.