Is excessive inflammation consuming your herd?

 Not all inflammation is negative.
    In medicine, we call the biological process by which the immune system causes pain, swelling, redness, heat and impaired function as inflammatory response. This positive response quickly activates the immune system, produces an appropriate vaccine response, and opens many physiological pathways to fight infections in humans and animals.
    Common examples of inflammation in pastures are mastitis and metritis caused by bacterial infections, both of which are common diseases in newly born cattle. Normally, the rapid and beneficial inflammation will clear the infection and restore the animal to health.
    Other "positive" inflammatory reactions include childbirth, which requires hormonal changes in the body to occur gradually. This inflammatory response causes the cervix to relax, the uterus contracts, and the placenta is expelled.
What has always surprised me is that the placenta is the normal tissue structure of the cow's body throughout the pregnancy, but after delivery, the inflammatory response causes the rapid release of the uterine attachments, and this new foreign body is expelled. Obviously, cows whose placenta is not excreted are exceptions and are at risk of acute metritis.
    Another positive response is the production and utilization of glucose after cortisol is released before and after calving. Maintaining glucose homeostasis is very important for new cows.
    As we have seen, a good inflammatory response is necessary for the health of cows and the start of lactation. This necessary inflammatory response should be within a short period of time (only a few days) after delivery.
    Chronic problems follow.
    Bradford explained that excessive, long-lasting inflammation is the fuse of many perinatal diseases. Such an inflammatory response can start a few days before calving.
    The research team used a variety of biomarkers to monitor inflammation, especially in dairy cows with acute cases but no obvious clinical symptoms. Similar to other metabolic markers used in perinatal dairy cows, elevated values can predict the outcome after calving. I hope that we will have a test soon to help detect the performance of the dairy cow population and pay attention to management issues that require attention.
    We know that inflammation inhibits feed intake. Good feed intake can make new cows healthy! What stressors may cause negative inflammation in your ranch? Crowded? Lack of feeding space? Heat stress? Mycotoxins? There must be many stressors in the ranch.

Positive response.
    Researchers have proven that the rapid removal of excessive and negative inflammation is beneficial to new cows and can promote udder health. Short-term treatment before and after calving can increase milk production and reduce somatic cell count (SCC).
    Multiple studies have confirmed that the use of anti-inflammatory drugs affects the entire lactation period. The next research will provide beneficial, FDA-approved and as far as possible residue-free treatment options to alleviate unnecessary inflammation and perinatal diseases.
    Implement the best perinatal dairy cow management program by paying attention to the stressors that exist in your ranch. Think about the problems we have to deal with during the perinatal period of dairy cows. I think the management of perinatal dairy cows must include providing fresh air, ventilation, plenty of clean drinking water, high-quality feed, and rest and space!
    I followed Bradford to visit several ranches, and these farms have successful perinatal management programs. They provide high-quality feed and facilities to enable healthy young cows and dry cows to enter the lactation period and ensure that there will be no small problems. It's all about reducing "transitional inflammation", and it really works!