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Calving season starting soon? Stay ahead of your fresh cows with the ketosis treatment advice!

Jet Huijser

For some farms, calving season is just about to start. A busy period, but also a crucial time to keep a close eye on fresh cows. Ketosis is a common risk in early lactation, often caused by a negative energy balance after calving. Lely Horizon can support during this busy time with early detection through the Ketosis Advice.

The ketosis model runs every 4 hours and filters cows based on key parameters such as:

  • Lactation days between 5–60
  • No abnormal milk parameters, like a high conductivity, high cell count, or deviating milk colours (colostrum, watery or blood)
  • Increased fat/protein ratio
  • A drop in milk yield compared to her expected lactation curve
  • Behavioural changes in rumination or eating time

If a cow meets these criteria, Horizon flags her as a potential ketosis case. So what can you do with this advice? A quick tip: route cows with an advice in the evening so they can be checked first thing in the morning. When checking the cow in the morning, verify the advice yourself by assessing her health and if possible, a BHB check. If signs of ketosis are present, treat her accordingly with an intervention that suits your farm, for example propylene glycol, a drench, or a bolus. But make sure to always visually check the cow and verify the advice before treating her.

How do you act on this advice?

  • 0

    Ah yeah, calving season always a bit of a madhouse, isn't it? You're running around making sure everyone's fed, calves are coming left and right, and now you’ve gotta keep an eye on the fresh girls too. That’s where that Lely Horizon thing actually comes in real handy. From what I’ve seen, the Ketosis Advice it gives ain’t half bad. I mean, it’s running checks every 4 hours, and that’s more often than I can walk the barn, let’s be honest. If it pings a cow, I usually do what they suggest: route her in the evening so I’ve got her in the robot first thing next morning. That way I can check her out while I’ve still got a bit of coffee in me and haven’t been dragged in ten directions yet. Now, I don’t just jab her with anything right away. You gotta look at her yourself first, see if she’s off her feed, moving funny, that kind of thing. If I’ve got time and I’m not knee deep in afterbirth, I might run a quick BHB test too, just to be sure. If she’s looking off, then I’ll usually hit her with propylene glycol, that’s my go-to. But I’ve got a few drenches and boluses in the toolbox too, depending on how bad she is and how she handles treatments. Bottom line: it’s a good early heads up system. Horizon ain’t milking the cow for you, but it gives you a nudge when you’re busy and might miss something. And in a season like this, I’ll take all the help I can get. Now if only it could calve the cows for me too Sweat smile 
  • 0

    Yeah, we’re a bit different here. We run a grazing system, so managing fresh cows during calving season means juggling pasture rotation on top of everything else. Early lactation cows go onto the best quality paddocks, usually that leafy ryegrass we’ve banked up through late winter. But you’ve gotta watch them like a hawk. They can go downhill quick if they’re not eating enough dry matter. We don’t have robots, but we do track milk yield and behaviour closely, and you can spot a cow slipping if she’s lagging behind the group or not walking up for milking. If I reckon she’s heading into ketosis, I’ll pull her off the break, get her into the shed, and give her some propylene glycol or a molasses blend.

  • 0

    When Horizon gives a Ketosis Advice, check the flagged cow the next morning. Route her in the evening so she’s easy to find. In the morning, do a quick health check: look at her behaviour, appetite, milk, and breath. If possible, use a BHB test to confirm. If she shows signs of ketosis, treat her based on your farm’s protocol (like propylene glycol or a bolus). Always verify the advice before treating.

  • 0

    I just check the app, and if a cow’s flagged, I’ll give her a hit of glycol and keep an eye on her feed. It even reminds me if I forget — like a nudge from your wife but for cows. Saves me a lot of hassle later, and I’m not losing milk like I used to. 

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