Physiological Variables, Milk Conductivity and Production in Dairy Cows to Ketosis During the Transition Period in Northern Mexico

Attempting to detect and improve the management of Ketosis, the objective of this study was to determine and confirm the relationship between hours of activity, rumination time, conductivity, and milk production with the presence of ketosis in cows during the transition period in dairy cows in the Comarca Lagunera region, the heart of the dairy cattle production in Mexico. Data were collected in a large scale dairy cattle study. High-precision electronic collar sensors, high-precision electronic scales, and online electronic weighing sensors were employed to determine activity and ruminating time, milk electrical conductivity, and milk yield, respectively. All data were collected and integrated using an electronic peripheral management and control software. Using urinary ketone bodies measured by qualitative strips as the biomarker for ketosis, 10.50% of the cows were found to be positive for ketosis, while the remaining 89.50% were negative. The mean and standard error for activity time (AT), ruminating time (RT), milk electrical conductivity (CE) and milk yield (MY) in normal (N) vs ketotic (P) cows were: AT N 61.38, ± 0.39, AT P 39.08 ± 0.49; RT N 530.85 ± 2.94, RT P 295.24 ± 10.69; CE N 5.68 ± 0.03, CE P 9.13 ± 0.11; and MY N 38.87 ± 0.29, MY P 20.34 ± 0.54. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted for the purpose of uncovering the underlying structure of the data by identifying latent constructs that influence the observed variables. The EFA estimated two factors which explained 62% of the variation observed. The Factor 1 (MR1) comprising the variables MY and EC, and Factor 2 (MR2), which consists the variables AT and RT. High-precision measurement sensors along multivariable analyses could facilitate the establishment of a correlation between ketosis and variables associated with the physiology, well-being, and productivity of bovines in the transition period. It further open the possibility of early detection of metabolic diseases such as ketosis.