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Welcome to episode 1, 166 of the Bullvine Podcast.

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Today we're diving deep into a silent threat that's draining profits from dairy farms

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across the country – ketosis.

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In 2025, this metabolic disorder is affecting up to 40% of fresh cows and costing farmers

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up to $289 per case.

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We'll explore the latest detection methods, treatment options, and management strategies

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that are helping farmers protect their herds and their bottom lines.

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Get ready for an eye-opening journey through the world of dairy cow health and farm profitability.

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Welcome to the Bullvine Podcast.

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I'm your host, Bella, and today we're tackling a serious issue that's silently draining

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profits from dairy farms across the country.

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We're joined by dairy expert Douglas to discuss ketosis, a metabolic disorder that's

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costing farmers more than they realize.

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Thanks Bella.

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This is a critical topic that too many farmers aren't taking seriously enough.

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When we're talking about up to 40% of fresh cows being affected and costs reaching $289

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per case, we need to pay attention.

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Those numbers are staggering – for a 100-cow herd, that could mean losses between $5,800

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to $11,560 annually.

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Can you help our listeners understand why this is happening?

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Think of it like running your truck on fumes, Bella.

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Just like a truck needs proper fuel to run efficiently, fresh cows need adequate energy

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for milk production.

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When they can't get enough energy from their feed, they start breaking down body fat, and

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that's where the problems begin.

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And this is happening right when farmers need their cows performing their best in early

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lactation.

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What makes ketosis particularly dangerous is that many cases go unnoticed until it's

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too late, right?

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Exactly.

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Up to 40% of fresh cows may have what we call subclinical ketosis.

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They look fine but are actually sick.

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By the time you notice visible symptoms, you're already losing money in reduced milk production

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and facing potential health complications.

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Let's dive into the basics.

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Doug, ketosis is costing dairy farmers up to $289 per case, but many don't fully understand

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what's happening inside their cows.

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Can you break this down for us?

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Think of your fresh cow like a high-performance truck, Bella.

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Just like that truck needs the right fuel to run efficiently, fresh cows need massive

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amounts of energy to produce milk.

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Here's what's happening.

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In early lactation, especially the first three weeks after calving, cows physically can't

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eat enough to meet their energy demands.

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It's like trying to fill up your truck's gas tank through a drinking straw.

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The energy just can't get in fast enough.

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And so what happens when they can't get enough energy from feed?

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That's when the trouble starts.

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The cow's body starts breaking down its own fat reserves, like your truck switching to

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an emergency fuel tank.

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But here's the critical part.

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When too much fat hits the liver too quickly, it gets overwhelmed.

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Instead of processing this fat normally, it produces ketones.

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Think of them as dirty fuel that can damage your engine.

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And this is happening in up to 40% of fresh cows.

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Exactly.

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And here's what makes it so dangerous.

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Most of these cases are subclinical.

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The cow looks fine on the outside.

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She's still milking, still eating, but inside she's struggling.

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Just like you might not notice your truck's engine having problems until it's too late.

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By the time you see obvious signs of ketosis, you've already lost significant milk production

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and risked other health issues.

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So for our listeners managing their transition cows right now, what's the key message about

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understanding ketosis?

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The key is recognizing that ketosis isn't just about sick cows.

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It's about energy management.

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Every fresh cow walks a tightrope between energy demands and intake capacity.

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Understanding this helps explain why proper transition cow management, especially in those

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crucial three weeks after calving, is so important for preventing ketosis and protecting your

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bottom line.

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Yeah.

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Let's talk about catching ketosis early.

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Doug, what tools do farmers have in their arsenal to spot this profit drainer before

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it becomes a major problem?

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You know, catching ketosis early is like catching a small leak before it floods your barn.

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We've got four reliable ways to detect it, and each has its place on the farm.

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Let me break them down.

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First, blood testing is your gold standard.

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Using a handheld meter, similar to what diabetics use, you can test your fresh cows right in

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the barn when that BHB reading hits 1.2 or higher, you've got subclinical ketosis, even

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if the cow looks perfectly fine.

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The beauty of blood testing is its accuracy and immediate results.

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Second, milk testing through DHI services gives you a broader picture of your herd.

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It's convenient because you're already doing milk testing, and many services now include

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ketone testing as part of their regular screening.

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This helps you track trends across your whole herd over time.

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Third, urine ketone strips are your quick check option.

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While not as accurate as blood testing, they're perfect for checking suspicious cows when

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you notice something's off.

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Think of them as your early warning system.

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If the strip changes color, you know it's time for a more accurate blood test.

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Fourth, modern activity monitoring systems are like having an extra set of eyes on your

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cows 24-7.

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These systems track feeding patterns, activity levels, and rumination time, alerting you

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to changes that might indicate ketosis before you'd notice anything wrong.

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But here's what's really critical, timing.

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The first two weeks after calving are your danger zone.

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That's when you need to be most vigilant with your testing, especially in those first nine

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days when treatment is most effective.

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Think of it like checking your fresh cow's vital signs.

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It needs to become part of your daily routine.

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Let's talk real numbers, Doug.

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What's ketosis actually costing dairy farmers today?

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The financial impact is staggering, Bella.

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Recent studies show ketosis hits farmers' wallets in multiple ways.

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Each case, even the ones you can't see, costs between $145 to $289.

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For a typical 100-cow dairy, we're looking at annual losses between $5,800 to $11,560.

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But here's what's really interesting.

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These costs are actually about 50% higher for older cows compared to first calf heifers.

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Let me break down exactly where this money's going.

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First, there's the direct milk loss.

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Every time a cow's ketone levels go up just a tiny bit, you're losing about a pound of

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milk.

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For severe cases, we're seeing drops of 13 pounds per day in early lactation.

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That's like pouring money down the drain.

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But here's what many farmers don't realize.

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Milk loss is only part of the story.

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These cows are 4.3 times less likely to get pregnant on first breeding, often needing

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nearly three services instead of two.

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They're three times more likely to leave the herd early, and they're at much higher risk

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for expensive problems like DAs and uterus infections.

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Think about this.

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If you're running a high-risk operation, maybe pushing for high production or dealing with

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overcrowding in your transition pens, your costs could double.

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We've seen farms losing up to $7,606.87 annually just from ketosis-related issues.

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Even default farms are losing around $3,728.62 per year.

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Those numbers really put it in perspective.

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Sounds like prevention could save farmers significant money.

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Absolutely.

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When you consider that each case could cost up to $900 when you factor in all the knock-on

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effects, investing in prevention just makes good business sense.

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It's like that old saying, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

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In this case, it's worth several thousand dollars of cure.

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When you spot ketosis in your fresh cows, timing is everything.

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Doug, walk us through exactly what farmers need to do to get these cows back on track.

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Let me be crystal clear about treatment.

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The research shows we've got a narrow window to get the best results.

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Here's what the science tells us.

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For mild to moderate cases, BHB 1.2 to 2.9 millimoles per liter, propylene glycol is

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your go-to treatment.

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Give 300 milliliters, that's about 10 ounces, once daily for three to five days.

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The key here is starting treatment early.

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When we treat in the first nine days after calving, we see cure rates of 75 percent.

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Wait until day 16 to 21, and that drops to just 58 percent.

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But here's what many farmers miss.

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For severe cases where BHB is 3.0 or higher, or when cows show nervous symptoms or won't

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eat, you need to call your vet for IV dextrose treatment.

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The protocol here is specific.

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500 milliliters of 50 percent dextrose in the vein, followed by your propylene glycol

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treatment.

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Recent research from the University of Guelph has shown something interesting.

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Temporarily reducing milking frequency from twice to once daily can help these cows recover

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faster.

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While you'll see a temporary drop in milk production, the metabolic benefits are significant.

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For your vitamin B12 shots, the dose is precise, 1.25 to 5 milligrams per cow in the muscle,

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daily for three to five days.

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This works particularly well for cows that have both low blood sugar and high ketones.

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Remember, every hour you wait to treat ketosis is costing you money.

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A cow with ketosis can lose up to 13 pounds of milk per day in early lactation.

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That's why having a clear treatment protocol and the supplies on hand is crucial.

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Let's talk about real farms making real progress against ketosis.

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Doug, what kind of success stories are you seeing out there?

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Let me share some eye-opening results we're seeing across North America.

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A 1,000-cow dairy in Wisconsin really shows what's possible when you take ketosis seriously.

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They were dealing with a 30% ketosis rate in their fresh cows.

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That's 300 cows affected, and it was costing them $87,000 annually.

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But here's where it gets interesting.

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They invested in activity monitoring systems to track rumination patterns, especially in

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those crucial 10 days before and after calving.

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Within the first year, they dropped their ketosis rate by 5%.

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That's 50 fewer sick cows and saved $14,500.

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But the real success wasn't just the money.

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Their fresh cows were healthier, breeding back faster, and producing more milk.

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The University of Guelph tried something completely different with their ketotic fresh cows.

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They reduced milking from twice to once daily for two weeks while maintaining propylene

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glycol treatment.

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The results were surprising.

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Cows improved faster metabolically, even though they gave less milk during treatment.

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They're now looking at whether shorter treatment periods might work just as well.

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But here's what really drives home the importance of early detection and treatment.

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Research shows that untreated cows lose about a pound of milk for every slight increase

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in ketones, while treated cows, those getting propylene glycol, actually gained 1.5 pounds

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of milk daily.

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When you're talking about severe ketosis, that difference can add up to 13 pounds of

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milk per day in early lactation.

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These aren't just isolated success stories.

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We're seeing farms across the country implementing these strategies and getting similar results.

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The key is catching it early and acting fast.

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Every day you wait costs you money.

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As we wrap up today's discussion on ketosis, Doug, what final thoughts would you share

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with our dairy farmers who are looking to protect their herds and their profits?

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Or let me leave our listeners with some hard facts and actionable advice.

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The numbers don't lie.

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Ketosis is costing dairy farmers up to $289 per case, and with up to 40% of fresh cows

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affected, that's a significant hit to your bottom line.

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But here's the good news.

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Research shows that early detection and prompt treatment can dramatically improve outcomes.

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The key is having a solid game plan.

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Monitor those fresh cows like a hawk, especially in that crucial first week after calving when

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treatment success rates are highest, up to 75%.

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Watch their rumination patterns closely.

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We know that sick cows spend about 17% less time chewing their cud than healthy herd mates,

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and you can spot these changes up to five days before other symptoms appear.

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But most importantly, don't wait to act.

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Every day you delay treatment is costing you money in lost milk production.

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Work with your veterinarian and nutritionist to develop a solid transition cow program

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and have your treatment protocols ready before you need them.

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Thanks for those insights, Doug.

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For our listeners, remember, ketosis doesn't have to be the profit drain it once was.

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With modern monitoring tools and proven treatment protocols, you can protect both your cows

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and your bottom line.

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Whether you're managing 50 cows or 5,000, the principles remain the same.

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Catch it early, treat it promptly, and focus on prevention.

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Your next step?

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Take a hard look at your fresh cow protocols and make sure you're set up for success.

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That concludes our deep dive into ketosis, the silent profit killer haunting dairy farms

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in 2025.

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If you've made it this far, you're clearly committed to the health of your herd and the

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success of your operation.

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Don't forget to subscribe to the Bull Vine Podcast to stay informed about the latest

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advancements in dairy management.

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Share this episode with your fellow farmers as knowledge is our best defense against this

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costly condition.

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Let us know in the comments how you're tackling ketosis on your farm.

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Remember, early detection and prompt treatment are key to minimizing its impact.

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Until next time, stay vigilant and keep those fresh cows healthy and productive.