Join us for a new conversation about a common disease! Dr. Kathryn Bach is an AABP member on faculty at Cornell University and in this episode, she discusses some of the current research and intervention strategies to manage hyperketonemia on dairy farms. Up to 80% of cows with hyperketonemia can be clinically normal. We review testing protocols for herd-based monitoring using hand-held blood ketone meters as well as treatment protocols based on these routine monitoring results. Dr. Bach reviews a recent research trial evaluating the effectiveness of oral propylene glycol versus intravenous dextrose for treating ketosis. She also provides her thoughts on future research for monitoring ketones in herds and how that can be utilized to manage this disease on dairy farms that impact the health and productivity or our patients.

 Links to relevant publications:

Seely, C.R., K.D. Bach, D.M. Barbano, and J.A.A. McArt. 2020. Effect of hyperketonemia on the diurnal patterns of energy-related blood metabolites in early-lactation dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. doi:10.3168/jds.2020-18930.

Bach, K.D., D.M. Barbano, and J.A.A. McArt. 2019. Association of mid-infrared-predicted milk and blood constituents with early-lactation disease, removal, and production outcomes in Holstein cows. J. Dairy Sci. 102:10129–10139. doi:10.3168/JDS.2019-16926.

Bach, K.D., D.M. Barbano, and J.A.A. McArt. 2020. The relationship of excessive energy deficit with milk somatic cell score and clinical mastitis. J. Dairy Sci. doi:10.3168/jds.2020-18432.

Pralle, R.S., and H.M. White. 2020. Symposium review: Big data, big predictions: Utilizing milk Fourier-transform infrared and genomics to improve hyperketonemia management. J. Dairy Sci. 103:3867–3873. doi:10.3168/jds.2019-17379.