Subclinical ketosis and relationships with postpartum diseases in European dairy cows

Subclinical ketosis (SCK) occurs with a prevalence of 6.9 % to 14.1 % in the first 2 months of lactation and is defined as concentrations of fi-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) above >= 1.2 to 1.4 mmol/L. Furthermore SCK is considered a gateway condition for metabolic and infectious disorders such as metritis, mastitis, clinical ketosis and displaced abomasutn. However, science based information on prevalence rates considering the diversity of European dairy farms are not available. The objective of this study was to determine prevalence of SCK, to identify thresholds of BHB and relationships with postpartum diseases such as metritis, clinical ketosis, displaced abomasum, lameness, and mastitis in Europe. A convenience sample of 528 dairy herds from Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey was studied in 2011. beta-hydroxybutyrate levels was measured in a total of 5,884 cows with a hand-held meter (Precision Xceed, Abbott Diabetes Care, Abingdon, UK) within 2 to 15 days in milk postpartum. On average 11 cows were enrolled per farm and relevant information (e.g. days in milk, postpartum diseases, herd size) recorded. Overall prevalence of SCK was 21.5 ( 11.2 % to 36.6 %) considering a threshold of blood BHB >= 1.2 mmol/L. Cows with SCK (i.e. blood BHB >= 1.2 mmol/L) had 1,5, 9,5, and 5,0 times greater odds to develop metritis, clinical ketosis and displaced abomasum, respectively. Interestingly, a postpartum blood BHB threshold >= 1,1 mmol/L and SCK increased the risk for development of lameness in daily cows 1,8 times.