Traumatic Reticuloperitonitis aka Hardware Disease

Hardware disease occurs after cattle ingest pieces of metal such as nails, screws, or wire.  The disease occurs more frequently in cows than other ruminants, like sheep and goats, because they take large mouthfuls of food, often swallow without any chewing and they don't use their lips to discriminate between different types of feed.  After being ingested, foreign bodies will move into the rumen and within 24-28 hours will move into the reticulum where they remain thanks to gravity.

 

The reticulum is the second compartment in a cow's stomach and any piece of metal that perforates the wall will release partially digested feed and bacteria into the abdomen.  This causes peritonitis (inflammation of the lining of the abdomen).  If the piece of metal is long enough it can pierce through the reticulum, diaphragm, and into the heart.

Animals with hardware disease have a typical appearance, stop eating, decrease milk production, have a fever, elevated heart and respiratory rates, and pass small amounts of dry feces due to decreased intestinal motility.  Forced sudden movements as well as defecating, urinating, lying down, and getting up may be accompanied by groaning.  This classic grunt can provoked by firmly pinching the withers (the area directly below the word diaphragm in the 1st picture).

Classic appearance of a cow with hardware: arched back, anxious 

expression, reluctance to move, elbows turned out

Treatment of hardware usually depends on the severity of the disease and value of the animal.  Typical treatment includes administration of a magnet and antibiotics.  Surgical options are also available.

Preventive measures include avoiding the use of baling wire, passing feed over magnets to remove metallic objects, keeping cattle away from sites of new construction, and completely removing old buildings and fences.  All animals over 1 year should receive a bar magnet that will remain in the reticulum and attach to any ingested metal.

 

There are a variety of inexpensive magnets available for cattle.

If you believe hardware may be an issue in your herd or would like help taking preventive measures to prevent problems give us a call!

12 Golden Rules of Conventional Milking

1. Monitor udder health regularly

• Check udder health regularly: first check fresh first-calf heifers and cows 1-2 weeks after calving using California Mastitis Test, Cell Counter, DHIA milk records, etc 
• Videos: California Mastitis Test, DeLaval Cell Counter
• Regularly review the dairy processor info on milk quality
• Keep record of udder health results for each cow
• Always keep milk of identified sick cows separate

2. Follow the right milking order

• First start with milking healthy cows and first-calf heifers
• Next milk fresh cows and first-calf heifers until they are checked for udder health status
• Milk older cows, cows cultured positive for contagious pathogens, and sick cows last or in separate group

3. Always foremilk

• Never strip milk onto the florr
• Strip 2-3 milk jets from each teat into a foremilk or strip cup
• Examine the milk for flocculation, color change, or other inconsistencies
• Foremilking also stimulates milk let-down

4. Clean and/or disinfect teats before milking

• Clean each teat and teat end using an approved pre-milking teat cleaner
• Wait 30 seconds before removing pre-milking teat cleaner
• Use disposable paper towel or udder towels to clean and carefully dry each teat properly
• Never use towels for more than one cow

5.  Check milking vacuum

• At the start of each milking
• Ensure vacuum level, pulsation rate, and pulsator ratio are within recommendations of parlor manufactor
• Evaluating Milking Machine Performance

6. Attach milking cluster in time

• Attach milking cluster within 60 seconds of teat preparation
• Avoid air entry during cluster attachment
• Check cluster positioning
• Make sure long milk tubes are aligned with pulse tube, avoiding twisting of tubes
• Clean and disinfect clusters in between cows

7. Avoid over-milking

• Watch the milking process during milking
• Over milking can damage teat ends
• Identify the end of milking by direct observation of milk flow or via flow sensors in the case of automatic cluster removal

8. Remove clusters correctly

• Shut off vacuum to the cluster when milking is completed
• Allow claw vacuum to decline fully before removing cluster
• Do not squeeze the udder
• Take off cluster after the vacuum shut-off

9. Disinfect teats immediately

• Use an approved post-milking teat disinfectant as this is the mist effective way to prevent the spread of mastitis
• Dip or spray teats as soon as the milking cluster has been removed
• Keep the cows standing for 30 minutes after milking

10. Clean/disinfect milking equipment

• After each milking rinse and clean internal milking system
• Clean the outside of milking units and all surfaces in the parlor
• Disinfect the milking system using approved sanitizers following label instructions

11. Ensure proper milk cooling

• Always check temperatures to ensure correct cooling is reached during and after milking
• Milk cooling and storage tanks need to be cleaned immediately after emptying

12. Regularly monitor milking results

• Review milk processor info on milk quality and milk composition regularly
• If available, cross check with data from udder health assessments
• Regular preventative maintenance including replacement of liners, tubes, and other parts is the best way to ensure a well functioning milking system