Synonyms

Malnutrition – Global undernourishment

Name of the disease in English

Malnutrition-Protein-energy malnutrition

The disease in brief

The maintenance or production needs are not met by the ration available to the cattle. The clinical impact and the levers of control vary greatly between animals, particularly according to their age and nutritional needs, therefore according to the nature (growth, lactation, gestation) and the level of production, depending on the breeding system (dairy-suckling, extensive-intensive). Lethality and mortality as well as the economic impact can be very high. Animal welfare is significantly impaired. The possible primary causes are multiple and variously intertwined depending on the breeding. These causes can be structural (for example the number of Large Bovine Units per hectare of Useful Agricultural Area) (LU/UAA), or cyclical (for example insufficient fodder resources produced due to climatic hazards and not compensated by purchases, lack of control of parasitism, etc.). The breeder himself often plays a major explanatory role (lone breeder, old, sick, depressed, etc.) and, very frequently, denies the diagnosis. In the event of recurrence, and of a marked clinical impact or on animal welfare, the veterinarian may be led to report the case to the DDPP (Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations).  

Clinic & diagnosis

Global food deficit may be suspected

• on an individual scale, in the event of severe thinness, marked underproduction (in particular cessation of milk production, lack of body development), anemia,
• at the herd level, when there is a high incidence of mortality, downy cow syndromes, animals with stunted growth,
• referring to the breeding context and in particular the social context.

Typical sign of the disease

No description

Pictures

See below

Diagnostic formulas

No description

Differential diagnosis

-Tuberculosis: N47

-Parasitism in all its forms depending on the circumstances and age:

-Before weaning or just after: Coccidiosis: PA20.4

– After a season of Strongylosis grazing: PA11

– After a stay in a humid area, Fasciolosis: N51

- Specific deficiencies, for example in cobalt: CA5

Confirm a suspicion?

Laboratory tests are not necessary, but in some cases can help convince the breeder.

Anemia can be demonstrated by the hemoglobin concentration of whole blood (blood count/formula).

Protein deficiency in the diet over a long period (months) can be demonstrated by total hypoproteinemia and hypoalbuminemia.

Prognosis and treatment

The prognosis

• on an individual scale, and therefore the curative management, are very variable depending on the clinical state, the degree of cachexia of the animals,
• and at the herd level, according to the possibilities and feasibility on the technical, financial and psychological levels of the breeder.

Curative treatment is based on oral administration ("drenching") of glucoforming compounds (monopropylene glycol) associated with minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium salts), trace elements and water intake (rehydration). Parenteral administration of IV glucose, calcium salts, vitamins and trace elements is also often practiced.

Feeding should give priority to forages available in sufficient quantity, in order to saturate the ingestion capacity, and highly digestible, And to sufficient and suitable watering, particularly in quantity; supplementation with concentrated feed is most often necessary, depending on the assessment of needs and the quality of the fodder in terms of energy and good quality proteins (degradability). The improvement of the ration must take into account a necessary transition with adaptation of ruminal digestion.

Prevention

The only prevention is based on good breeding and feeding practices.

References

Veterinary Medicine-Pocket companion -9th Edition BLOOD DC-page 32