Determining the Cost-Effectiveness of Treating Subclinical Ketosis is Dairy Cattle

Ketosis is a major metabolic disorder of dairy cattle in the United States, affecting an estimated 40% of all lactations in the industry (Geishauser et al., 2001). There are various viewpoints on whether it is cost effective to treat subclinical cases of ketosis (SCK) with propylene glycol (PPG) and dextrose in comparison to treating animals that become clinically ketotic (McArt et al., 2011, 2013). For this trial, there was a control group and two treatment groups. Control cows had blood β-hydroxybutarate (BHBA) concentrations <1.2 mM/L and did not receive treatment. Treatment 1 cows were deemed subclinically ketotic, defined by a blood BHBA of 1.2 to 2.9 mM/L and received 250 mL 50% dextrose solution intravenously and 300 mL PPG orally for 3 d. Treatment 2 cows also were subclinical (same criteria as Trt 1) but did not receive the PPG and dextrose. Cows with >2.9 mM/L BHBA were not enrolled in the trial. To determine treatment, blood was drawn from the tail vein/artery at 4 d in milk (DIM) and tested for BHBA using a Precision Xtra Meter. Blood non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) concentrations and BCS (1= thin, 5=fat) were recorded -14 to -3 d pre-partum. Pre-partum NEFA concentrations were similar between Trt 1 and 2 but decreased for control (309, 293, and 243 μEq/mL, respectively). BHBA at 4 DIM was similar for Trt 1 and 2 but less for control (1.66, 1.70, and 0.70 mM/L, respectively), with a similar pattern at 11 DIM (1.29, 1.43, and 0.71 mM/L, respectively). BCS at 11 DIM was similar for Trt 1 and control cows (3.37 vs 3.34) but less for Trt 2 cows (3.29). Milk yield was similar for control and Trt 1 cows, but milk yield was lesser for Trt 2 cows compared to control cows. This increased milk production from Trt 1 versus Trt 2 on a daily basis equals 0.40 USD/day (20 USD/cwt milk price). Since it cost the farm 5.90 USD to treat each case of subclinical ketosis, the increased milk production would have to be sustained for 15 days to cover the cost of treatment. The increased milk yield is an average over 90 DIM, so the return over cost of treating subclinical ketosis was 30.10 USD/cow for this period (Trt 1 produced 81 kg more milk than Trt 2). These results lead us to reach the conclusion that it is cost-effective to treat subclinical ketosis in recently fresh dairy cows.