Cows can mobilise more than 1kg per day of body
fat to compensate for this energy shortage. This
body fat needs to be metabolised in the liver in
order to supply energy. Extensive mobilisation
of body fat in high yielding cows puts a lot of
pressure on the liver, which may lead to the
development of fatty liver.
Fatty liver is strongly linked with other disorders
such as ketosis, displaced abomasum, hoof
disorders, mastitis, metritis, retained placenta,
reduced fertility and impaired ureagenesis. This
means that liver dysfunction is detrimental to
animal health and performance and ultimately
proftability.
LiFT is a feed additive that can help optimise the
liver’s natural resources to improve performance
in high yielding dairy cows and aid improvements
in health, welfare and fertility.
LiFT
Figure 1. Negative energy balance in dairy cows
Energy demands for milk yield in early lactation are extremely high in modern
dairy cows. However, the increase in dry matter intake (DMI) lags behind the
increase in energy demands during this period, resulting in a negative energy
balance (Figure 1).
Begin
Dry period
Lactation
End Begin
Mid
End
Weight
DM-intake
Needs
The role of the liver in
transition cow management:
The role of LiFT ”
“