This paper shortly describes the coronavirus family, bovine corona viruses (BCV) properties and two diseases that BCV causes, winter dysentery and calf diarrhoea. The purpose of the study was to compare different diagnostic methods to detect BCV. Different methods are discussed, PCR, ELISA, immunofluorescense and virus isolation. Investigations were made in three different herds with winter dysentery; one dairy cattle farm with about 100 Cows of different ages, one testing station for bulls with about 150 bulls and another small dairy cattle farm with 26 Cows and 20 replacement heifers and calves. Faeces and nasal swabs were analysed with PCR and ELISA. The result shows that PCR seems to be a reliable method for detecting BCV but that the ELISA test can not be used as a reliable diagnostic method to analyse samples from animals with winter dysentery..

The coproduct, dried distillers grains + solubles (DDGS) from ethanol production based on wheat contains much rumen degradable protein and fiber with low digestibility. To compliment this quality in an effective way a grass silage low in protein and much digestible fiber is needed. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of adjusting the crude-protein concentration and fiber quality of the silage when feeding DDGS and of varying the inclusion level of DDGS, when feeding the adjusted grass silage, on intake, milk yield and composition, faecal traits and feed efficiency. Four different total mixed rations were compared. The normal grass-clover silage had a crude protein content of 17,8 % and an NDF content of 46,2 % of dry matter. The adapted grass silage had a crude protein content of 14,6 % and an NDF content of 52,9 % of dry matter. The diets were formulated to have similar nutritional content except for A + 4 which had a higher content of rumen degradable crude protein and a lower concentration of NDF.

Clinical signs of hypocalcaemia in dairy Cows are easily recognized, and a rapid response to treatment generally confirms the diagnosis in the field. However, clinical signs of other disorders in Cows, such as toxemia, calving paralysis, or muscoskeletal injury, may mimic those associated with hypocalcaemia. Therefore, making a diagnosis of hypocalcaemia on the basis of clinical signs alone may be difficult. In ambulatory veterinary practices, cow-side tests are useful to make the diagnosis and prognosis easier. Kruuse?s Kalcium Test is a cow-side test based on the principle that calcium ions are necessary for coagulation of blood, and that chelation with EDTA prevent coagulation.

To be able to provide the growing human population with food, the productivity of the animals as well as land use needs to be improved and intensified. Hence, understanding the behavior of animals is crucial both for animal welfare and productivity as well as the management of the cattle. There are many factors affecting the grazing behavior of cattle in tropical conditions, such as human-animal interactions, herd management, breed, season and temperature. The purpose of this study was to investigate the grazing behavior of two tropical cattle breeds, Ankole and Boran cattle. Kenyan Boran belongs to a zebu type of cattle and is preferred to many other breeds due to the higher productive and reproductive capacity and adaptability to tropical conditions.

Glycerol is essential for the lipid metabolism of both plants and animals. Glycerol is formed in the rumen by hydrolysis of lipids from the feed. Glycerol is also a by-product from the production of biodiesel from rapeseed oil and other fat sources. Glycerol might be used as a dietary glucose precursor for dairy Cows in similar ways as propylene glycol. Due to increased production of biodiesel more glycerol has been available to a lower price.

The fertility of dairy Cows is of great importance in order to maintain high production. The decline in fertility of dairy Cows the latest decades can have several explanations. The large emphasis on high yielding Cows and the negative genetic correlation between milk production and fertility traits could be one of the main factors for impaired fertility. To find heats and inseminate the cow at the right time is crucial to receive high conception rate. Delaval has, in corporation with FOSS, developed Herd Navigator which is a management program that measure four biological parameters in the milk; progesterone, betahydroxybutyrate, lactate dehydrogenase and urea.

This work is a literature review along with interviews from nine suckler herds. How to reducecalf mortality in the cow herd is the focus of this paper. To get profitability of a herd, it isimportant that you get a live calf per cow and year. Good fertility of the Cows thus is veryimportant. During the years 2007 - 2008, approximately 5.5% of all calves born by beef Cowsdied and about 8.5% of the calves born by heifers died.

About 80 % of all Swedish dairy Cows are kept in tie-stalls, but loose housing is increasing, probably because it is more profitable for the farmer. The design of the floors is of cruicial importance to the Cows well-being. Traditionally, the most common type of floor in the alleys of a cubicle system still is a slatted manure-draining floor made of concrete. The typical Swedish design has 125-mm slats and 40-mm slots, maximally. With too wide slots, there is an increased risk of injuries to the claws when the cow makes a hasty move.

Developed model for easier animal welfare assessment- with examples from dairy Cows in loose housingAnimals in captivity are completely dependent on human care. If captive animals are prevented from exhibiting their natural behavior, they may suffer. Animal welfare inspectors, who insure that the animal welfare legislation is followed, use a checklist to assess the situation in the husbandry. This checklist contains only two levels of assessment, which may result in a lack of detail in the assessment of the husbandry. The objective of this report was to develop a more detailed model that provides an overview of the situation in husbandry.

In this dissertation I have tried to figure out if it possible to make any money on acid grain to feed Cows through a case study. The method is a case study combined with a documentary research. At present the farm sell all grain in connection with harvest and buy it back continuously in the neighbourhood, I have compared that with an alternative where I invest in a construction for to store acid grain on the current farm. I have delimit me to only have a look on acid grain because I think that is one of the cheapest way too store grain in smaller aplenty. Before beginning with acid grain is it important to be versed in how everything works and the risk to keep on with acid grain. One disadvantage is that the acid grain is not possible to store more than 12 months with out acid it once again. It is also easy to get mould in the pasture if it is not acid enough.

Dairy Cows transform grass to milk with help from ruminal microorganisms that can digest indigestible fiber in their feed. The digestive system of the cow is adapted to a diet consisting of forage and disorders like acidosis, laminitis and abomasal displacement can occur if the feed contains too much starch. To achieve the highest production possible the cow has to be given a high amount of concentrate or grain as the difference in milk yield is significant, approximately 1000 kg energy corrected milk per cow and year between conventional and organic Cows that are fed a lower versus a higher share of forage. If the cow shall be able to eat the same amount of energy from forage as from grain or concentrate the eating- and rumination time gets longer and she might not be able to eat enough, which will result in a lower milk yield and will make it harder for the cow to recover from the negative energy balance that originate from the beginning of the lactation. Fat and in a sense protein content differs also depending on if the cow is given a high or low share of forage..

Botanically diverse pastures are commonly used in New Zealand to reduce the ruminant environmental impact by reducing the methane production from the rumen digestion. In order to evaluate the effects diverse pasture species have on the milk fatty acid profile seventy-two lactating Friesian-Jersey crossbred dairy Cows were used in a randomised block design with two replicates of six treatments. Six different pasture mixtures were fed at a daily allowance of approximately 15 kg DM/cow/day. The mixtures were categorised as either a simple or a diverse pasture. The simple mixtures all contained white clover with the addition of either a standard diploid perennial ryegrass (RG), a diploid high sugar ryegrass (HS) or tall fescue (TF).

Intercropping involving trees is called agroforestry and makes it possible to get higher production for every area unit. The trees can function as food, fodder, fuel, medicine; prevent mark erosion and much more. Agroforestry can also be combined with animal husbandry. The aim of this study was to document the animal production systems used by rural small-scale farmers maintaining ruminants and using agroforestry in the northern province of Rwanda. The farmers using agroforestry is expected to have higher milk yield than average due to homegrown protein. The method used during the study was semi-structural interviews with booth open and closed questions. In order to get in contact with farmers that matched the criteria; small-scaled rural farmers with ruminants and using agroforestry, the ?Vi Agroforestry Programme? (Vi-Life) in Kigali were contacted and the staff worked as supervisors, translators and contact with the farmers throughout the study. During the study nine individual farmers, two cooperatives breeding sheep and one group interview were conducted.

If you keep cattle in a herd outside all year round on big varying grounds, their possibilityto perform their natural behaviour increases. This way of keeping cattle requires that youprovide them with their other needs, like shelter and a dry and clean resting place.According to the animal welfare authority´s regulations on livestock farming, only animalsthat are suited to stay outside during the cold season are allowed to be kept outside. Theyshould also have access to a shelter or another building that gives them protection from theweather and wind and provides a dry and clean resting place.Research has shown that as long as cattle do not get exposed to precipitation and wind theywill manage low temperature well. Some of the things that will affect how well the animalshandle different climates are the isolation ability of the fur, the animals´ body size and thefeed intake. A dry lying place that is both insulating and moisture absorbent is also of greatimportance.

In most countries, the dairy industry focuses on the volume of milk produced instead of its composition. This results in a high content of water and a lower proportion of fat and protein. A high proportion of water is not desirable when processing the milk into various dairy products like cheese, cream and milk powder. High water content also increases the costs for transport and storage, and also an unnecessary, albeit marginal, strains on the world?s water reservoir.