Decreased milk flow

The milk flow from all types of ruminants may decrease for several reasons: for instance, disease or the loss of a calf or kid at birth. Some animals are also normally hard milkers. Decreased milk flow usually occurs in an animal's first three lactations.

Decreased milk flow

Cows, goats and sheep normally give their maximum milk yield during their second and third lactations. Buffaloes give their highest yield in their third and fourth lactations.

Symptoms

· Animal produces less milk than expected (for instance, compared to previous lactations).
· Milk is drawn with difficulty.
· Sudden drop in milk production.

Causes

· During or after disease.
· Loss of calf or kid at birth. Hard milkers.

Prevention

· Proper health care.

· Feed coconut cake or cotton seeds.

· Supplement the feed with grasses such as Andropogon annulatus (marvel grass), Panicum isachne and Cynodon dactylon.

· Supplement the feed with sugarcane (cane and tops).

Treatment

The dosages given below are for cows and buffaloes. Use half the dose for sheep and goats. Give any of the treatments for at least 15 days.

· Dry and powder 5 g of Breynia patens leaves or bark and 10 g of Leptadenia reticulata leaves or bark. Mix with 1 liter of water. Drench twice a day. (India. 1, 2, 3, 5)

· Dry and powder black cumin (Nigella saliva) seeds. Mix with 1 liter of water. Drench twice a day. (India. 1, 2, 3, 5)

· Feed the animal twice a day with 1-2 kg of chopped sugarcane leaves or 200-300 ml of sugarcane juice. (India. 1, 2, 3)

· Dry and powder 10 g musk mallow (Abelmoschus esculentus) seeds, roots or leaves (10 g is approximately 25 leaves). Mix with 1 liter of water and boil for ½ hour. Allow to cool. Drench twice a day. (India. 1, 2, 3)

· Feed the animal with 1 liter of water from cooking rice, flavored with a little salt. Do this for 20-30 days. (Thailand. 1, 2)

Use one of the following remedies. Use the amount given as a "top dressing": add it on top of the concentrate (such as rice bran, wheat husks, lentil husks, cotton seeds, groundnut oilcake) so the animal will eat it with the first mouthful. Do not mix it with the feed. These remedies are also used to prevent abortion during the first month of pregnancy, after the removal of retained placenta and to maintain the pregnancy in case of threatened abortion. Sometimes' they are tried to treat female infertility.

Dry the whole plant of Leptadenia reticulata (cork swallow) in the shade. Grind to a powder. Add 1 matchboxful (20 g) to the concentrate as a top dressing. Do this once a day for 15-30 days. The milk yield should increase after 4-5 days. (India. 1, 2, 3, 5)

· Dry the roots of Asparagus racemosus (asparagus) in the shade. Grind to a powder. Add 1 matchboxful (20 g) of the powder to the concentrate as top dressing. Do this once a day for 30 days. (India. 1, 2, 3, 5)

· The two remedies above can also be used in combination (20 g of Leptadenia + 10 g of Asparagus). (India. 1, 2, 3, 5)

· The following ingredients can also be added to the mixtures above: 10 g of dried, ground seeds of Nigella sativa (black cumin) or 10 g of dried, ground roots of Withania somnifera (winter cherry). (India. 1, 2, 3, 5)