Identifying cows at risk of subclinical ketosis as part of the milk recording of dairy cattle in Poland in 2014-2022

Abstract

In 2013, the Polish Federation of Cattle Breeders and Dairy Farmers introduced a new service – identifying cows in a state of subclinical ketosis (SK). Based on the content of ketone bodies in milk, i.e. β-hydroxybutyrate and acetone determined in a milk sample taken on the day of the trial milking, cows that were probably in the SK state on the test day are identified using a logistic regression model. Such cows are indicated to breeders in the reports from milk recording. The aim of the study was to analyze the incidence of SK in the recorded population. During 10 years of SK monitoring, the incidence of SK in cows decreased with each subsequent year. SK occurred more often in cows with lower milk yield and in smaller herds. The results indicate a constant improvement in the health situation of recorded cows in Poland, in the context of the incidence of SK.