10X Milk Yield: Complete Guide to LSD Recovered Cow Cattle Management

LSD Recovered Cattle Milk Yield Restoration: A Comprehensive Guide to Boosting Milk Production After Lumpy Skin Disease

Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) is a viral disease that primarily affects cattle and buffaloes. This disease is not a danger to humans, but it has serious economic losses for livestock farmers. It is caused by the Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV), which is a member of the Poxviridae family, Chordopoxvirinae subfamily, and Capripoxvirus genus. Capripoxvirus is also called Neethling virus. Lumpy Skin Disease is an acute disease that affects animals for 3 to 15 days.

This is a cattle disease in which symptoms like fever, lumps (nodules) on the skin/mucous membranes/internal organs, physical weakness, swelling of lymph nodes, inflammation of the skin (edema), and sometimes death are seen. The emergence of lumps on the animal’s skin is the primary identification of this disease, which causes the animal to suffer with severe inflammation. Along with this, high fever, inflammation in the respiratory tract, and lameness in the legs are observed in the animal.

In India, this disease was first recorded in the state of Odisha. Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) affected more than 4 lakh cattle in Rajasthan, where the mortality rate was quite high. In Rajasthan alone, nearly 50,000 cows died, which demonstrates the lethality of this disease. For this reason, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) declared it a disease of the Epizootic category. Epizootic diseases affect a large number of animals over a wide area. Bos taurus species of foreign cows are more susceptible to this disease compared to Bos indicus, i.e., Indian native breeds. Asian buffalo (Bubalus spp.) can also be affected by this disease.

Lumpy Skin Disease: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention in Cattle

Lumpy Skin Disease: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention in Cattle

The Impact of Lumpy Skin Disease on Dairy Herds

Heavy Decline in Milk Production

A significant and immediate reduction in milk production is observed in animals infected with LSD. According to one study, farms with an LSD outbreak face problems like a decrease in milk sales and having to discard milk due to the use of antibiotics, causing significant economic loss per farm. Because when antibiotics are used in animals infected with LSD, traces of antibiotics appear in their milk for 3-7 days, which can be harmful.

During an outbreak in Thailand, dairy farms had to bear a loss of 8.23 to 9.96 tons of milk every month, resulting in a total economic loss of 24,13,000 Thai Baht (approximately 68,943 US Dollars).

Level of Production Decrease

According to cases reported in India, a cow recovering from LSD can experience a 50-70% reduction in milk production. A 30% decline in milk production was recorded in Bihar’s Begusaray district due to this disease. In some cases, a cow that previously gave 10-12 liters of milk, after the illness, is able to give only 2-2.5 liters of milk.

As seen in 2022 in India’s Rajasthan state, where the death of nearly 50,000 cows caused severe economic losses for local livestock farmers. This disease can cause a temporary reduction in milk production, temporary/permanent infertility in bulls, skin damage (which reduces the value of the hide), and death.

Health-Related Complications

After the disease, secondary health problems like mastitis (inflammation of the udders) and pneumonia can arise in animals, which long-term affect the production and quality of milk. Additionally, the sick animal’s immune system becomes weak, increasing the risk of other infections.

Boosting Milk Production After Lumpy Skin Disease: Scientific Advice

To re-increase milk production in animals after recovering from LSD, it is necessary to adopt an integrated approach, which includes nutrition, health management, and housing. Raising dairy animals correctly and obtaining maximum milk production from them is the dream of every livestock farmer. If your cow gives 25-30 liters or even more milk, then its care and diet management become even more important. This article will provide you with information on a scientific and balanced diet plan, which will keep your cow healthy and give you better production.

Nutritional Management for LSD Recovered Cows: A Diet Chart for High Milk Production

Given below is a rough daily diet chart for a cow weighing approximately 500 kg and giving 25-30 liters of milk. This is a general guide; the exact quantity depends on the cow’s precise condition.

Main Principles of a Balanced Diet for Dairy Cattle Feed Post-Lumpy Skin Disease

Just giving food is not enough; it is essential that it is nutritious and balanced. Let’s understand what should be included in an ideal diet:

• Energy (Carbohydrates): Energy is the most essential for the cow’s daily functions and for making milk. Green fodder, grass, and grains are good sources of energy.
• Protein: This is necessary for building muscles and milk. Soybean, peanut cake, cottonseed cake, and mustard cake are excellent sources of protein.
• Minerals and Vitamins: Calcium and Phosphorus are essential for bones and milk quality, while Vitamins A, D, E are necessary for increasing immunity. Their requirement is met by the mineral mixture. Providing Calcium and Phosphorus minerals in the diet can prevent metabolic diseases like Milk Fever, Downer Cow Syndrome, and Postpartum Hemoglobinuria.
• Magnesium (Mg): Essential for enzyme function and carbohydrate metabolism. Deficiency leads to reduced milk production and reproductive capacity.
• Trace Minerals: Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Selenium (Se): These elements are naturally present in fodder in small quantities. Zinc is essential for the health of the skin and hooves, while Selenium deficiency leads to weak calves being born.
• Correct Ratio of Fodder and Concentrate: Approximately ⅔ (two-thirds) of a healthy animal’s total diet should come from roughage (green + dry fodder) and ⅓ (one-third) from the concentrate mixture. This ratio keeps the animal’s stomach healthy. This can prevent metabolic diseases like Ketosis and Hypoglycemia. Because these diseases mainly occur due to an imbalance in the fodder:concentrate ratio or a disruption in carbohydrate metabolism.

“Can Calcium KILL Your Cow? The Shocking Truth Behind Downer Cow Syndrome”

“Can Calcium KILL Your Cow? The Shocking Truth Behind Downer Cow Syndrome”

Digestive Enzymes – Utilizing Dietary Nutrients

This is new research that increases the digestibility of animal feed:

How they work:

• Animal feed contains elements like cellulose, xylan, hemicellulose, cellulose, beta-glucan, which are difficult to digest.
• Enzymes break down these tough elements and release nutrients.
• This reduces viscosity in the intestines and increases the absorption of nutrients.

Main Enzymes:

• Cellulase: Breaks down cellulose
• Xylanase: Breaks down xylan
• Pectinase: Breaks down pectin
• Phytase: Breaks down phytate and releases Phosphorus

Method of Use:

• Can be mixed directly into the feed
• Probiotics like Bacillus subtilis also produce these enzymes

How to Prepare a Concentrate Mixture?

When preparing the concentrate mixture, keep in mind to mix different types of grains and cakes. This improves both the quality and taste of the mixture. You can prepare a balanced concentrate mixture by mixing the following items:

• Sources of Energy: Maize, Barley, Wheat Bran.
• Sources of Protein: Soybean cake, Peanut cake, Cottonseed cake, Gram powder.
• Minerals and Vitamins: Mineral mixture and salt.

Important Animal Management Habits for Increasing Milk Quality in LSD Affected Cattle

Along with the right diet, good care habits are equally essential:

• Feed at Fixed Times: Feed the animal 3-4 times a day in small amounts. Keep the time fixed and do not change it frequently.
• Do Not Make Sudden Changes in Diet: If a change is necessary, do it gradually by mixing it with the old feed.
• Maintain Cleanliness: Keep feeding utensils and water tanks clean. The animal’s living area should be dry and clean.
• Adopt TMR (Total Mixed Ration): If possible, mix all the food (green fodder, dry fodder, concentrate) together and feed it. This gives the animal equally nutritious food every time and reduces fodder wastage.

Precautions

• Never give the animal finely ground concentrate. If grains are visible in the dung, it means the feed is not being digested properly.
• Always maintain some quantity of dry fodder (straw) in the animal’s diet, not just green fodder alone.
• Before starting any new feed or remedy, always consult your local veterinarian or animal nutrition specialist. They can provide the right guidance according to your cow’s individual needs.

Summary: A high milk production cow needs not just more food, but nutritious, balanced, and regular diet. The correct ratio of fodder and concentrate, sufficient water, and good care are the keys to successful animal husbandry.

Herbal Supplements: A Scientific Perspective on Traditional Remedies

Some traditional methods like including fenugreek, carom seeds, and jaggery in the diet have been found beneficial. Mixing wheat flour in mustard oil and feeding it is also a prevalent method. A desi recipe can also be adopted to increase the animal’s strength, in which grind 10 betel leaves, 10 grams black pepper, 10 grams turmeric, salt, 10 basil leaves, 10 bay leaves, one handful each of neem and bael leaves to make a paste and mix a little jaggery in it and feed it to the animal.

Practical Method (How to Administer)

• Always start with a small quantity (micro-dose) and observe the cow/buffalo carefully for 1-2 weeks.
• Fenugreek: 50–150 grams/day
• Carom Seeds: 2–5 grams/day
• Black Pepper: A pinch (1–2 grams/day)
• Jaggery: 20–50 grams/day
• The correct dosage will depend on the region, breed, and quantity of milk.
• Always ask a veterinary doctor before giving to a pregnant cow, new calf, or sick/medicated cow.

Main Point:

• These herbal mixtures are supportive boosters for increasing milk or providing strength.
• Herbs can help, but real milk will only increase when the main food TMR (Total Mixed Ration = Green Fodder + Dry Fodder + Concentrate + Mineral + Clean Water) is balanced.

Caution

• Neem and Bael leaves can be harmful in large quantities.
• Excessive Neem can cause toxic effects.
• There are reports of reproductive effects in pregnant animals from Bael leaves.
• Therefore, do not administer these regularly without the advice of a Veterinary Doctor.

Health and Medical Care for Long-Term Recovery

Controlling Secondary Infections

The immunity (disease resistance capability) of an animal suffering from Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) becomes weak.

During such times, common diseases (like pneumonia, mastitis, diarrhea, etc.) can easily infect the animal.

Therefore, the animal should be given immunomodulators and tonics:

• Vitamin C and Vitamin E → Antioxidants, strengthen the immune system.
• Levamisole (As per Vet advice) → Activates immunity.
• Liver Tonic and Multivitamin Syrup → Bring back the animal’s strength and appetite.

To protect against parasites (worms, insects, and germs), deworming should be done 3-4 times a year with different medicines (like Triclabendazole, Oxy-Clozanide, Praziquantel, Albendazole, Fenbendazole).

Regular Health Check-up

Conduct a daily inspection of the sick animal:

• Check if milk production, appetite, body temperature, breathing rate, and feces-urine are normal or not.
• Maintain the Body Condition Score (BCS) at 3. (Meaning the animal should not be too thin, nor too fat).
• Get a health check-up done by a nearby veterinarian every 15-30 days.
• Stress-Free Environment: The animal’s living space should be clean, dry, and airy. Milk production is better in a stress-free environment. Maintain cleanliness of the animal shed and spray insecticides to prevent mosquitoes and flies.
• Adopt a regular deworming program.
• Maintain cleanliness of the cattle shed and spray (fly repellents).

Wound Care

The skin lumps (nodules) that form in LSD can slowly turn into ulcers. Their timely treatment is essential:

• Cleanliness:
  • Wash the wound daily with warm water and dry it.
  • After that, clean it with an antiseptic like povidone-iodine (Betadine) or chlorhexidine.
• Infection Prevention:
  • If pus is forming in the wound or there is a bad smell, then antibiotics should be given under the supervision of a veterinarian.
  • In case of excessive wounds, supportive treatment (such as pain relievers, anti-inflammatory, multivitamins) should be given.
• Wound Healing Process:
  • Do not let flies sit on the wound. Use fly repellent spray or ointment for this.
  • During wound healing, provide a diet rich in Zinc, Vitamin-C, and Protein, which helps the skin heal faster.

💊 Immunity Boosting Components (Immunomodulators)

By including some special components in the animal’s diet, its disease resistance capability can be naturally strengthened.

Deworming on Time

Internal parasites (stomach worms) have a profound negative impact on the animal’s health and productivity. These parasites live in the animal’s intestines, liver, and lungs and consume a large portion of its nutrition themselves, as a result of which the animal becomes weak, its physical growth stops, and milk production decreases.

Symptoms: The animal becoming lean-thin, lethargy, rough hair, anemia (lack of blood), diarrhea, and sometimes worms visible in the feces.

Control Measures: Regular deworming should be done four times a year. That is 1 year = 12 months: 3 X 4 = 12 months, meaning deworm the animal every 3 months. Different medicines can be used for different types of parasites, such as Triclabendazole or Clorsulon for liver fluke, and Praziquantel for tapeworm.

Management: Prevent animals from grazing in contaminated pastures and always deworm a new animal before introducing it to the herd.

Conclusion: Navigating the Long-Term Effects of LSD on Cow Milk Production

Key Takeaways for a Full Recovery

When integrating all these measures, the following points should be kept in mind:

• Start Gradually: Start new supplements or deworming only after assessing the animal’s current strength and health condition.
• Main Diet is the Foundation: Immunomodulators and supplements are only complementary; high-quality green fodder, balanced concentrate, minerals, and clean water must remain the main foundation.
• Consult a Veterinarian: In the case of pregnant or newborn animals, always consult a veterinarian before starting any new medicine or treatment.

Final Summary and Action Plan

Increasing the milk production of an animal recovering from Lumpy Skin Disease is a gradual process that requires patience and regular care.

• Immediate Action: After confirming the animal is fully healthy, start by increasing the amount of nutrients and energy in its diet.
• Long-Term Plan: Keep an eye on the animal’s overall health and production level. Continue balanced diet and good care regularly.
• Consult a Veterinarian: For any new diet plan or health-related concern, always consult your local veterinarian.
• Prevention is the Biggest Remedy: The most effective way to control LSD is vaccination. Also, immediately separate the sick animal from healthy animals and pay special attention to the cleanliness of the cattle shed.