Feldstudie zur Behandlung von Kühen mit linksseitiger Labmagenverlagerung mittels laparoskopischer Abomasopexie nach JANOWITZ

The aim of the prospective study was to investigate practicability, complication rates, postoperative convalescence, and productivity of cows after surgical treatment of left-displaced abomasum (LDA) by means of laparoscopic abomasopexy (Janowitz-method). 200 Holstein Frisian cows with LDA from 70 herds were included in the study. From the day of the laparoscopic abomasopexy, the animals underwent several clinical and laboratory examinations. Daily milk yield and concentrate intake were measured for a period of ten days. After six weeks, six and twelve months, owners were interviewed whether the animals had remained within the herds. Only 190 cows (LDA group) delivered evaluable data and were matched with 462 control cows according to herd, stage of lactation and lactation number. Milk-test parameters for the total of 652 animals were supplied by Vereinigte Informationssysteme Tierhaltung (VIT Verden, Germany). The average milk yield of the OP lactation (lactation in which the laparoscopic abomasopexy was performed) of the LDA cows was compared with the milk yield of their previous lactation and with milk yield of the corresponding lactation of control cows in order to calculate possible milk losses during the OP lactation. Finally survival time and culling rates of the two groups were compared. The average age of the 200 cows of the study was 4.7 years (SD; ± 1.7); the lactation number was 2.8 (± 1.1). At the time of surgery in average LDA-cows were 18 (± 7) days in milk. The laparoscopic abomasopexies of all 200 animals were carried out without significant complications. The average duration of the surgical procedures was 42 (± 7) minutes. As minor complications during surgery the rumen was punctured with the trokar in three cows. However, this did not affect post surgical convalescence. 14 cows received systemic antibiotic treatment due to body temperatures of more than 39.5°C on the day after surgery. 26 animals (13 %) developed mild post-surgical inflammation at the fixation sites. In none of the animals the fixation was removed prematurely and antibiotic treatment was not required. One cow died four days post surgery due to hepatic failure. Three cows developed a relapse after the next calving and underwent a second laparoscopic abomasopexy. Analysis of the data supplied by VIT during an observation period of three years revealed a significantly lower mean survival time for LDA cows (716 days) compared to controls cows (783 days). The culling rate of the LDA group was 88% compared to 81% of the control group. The causes for culling – mostly infertility, mastitis or lameness – did not differ between the two groups. The average milk loss of cows of the LDA group during the OP lactation compared to their previous lactation and to the corresponding lactation of control cows was 392 kg/cow and 153 kg/cow, resp. In the Op lactation of LDA cows in average the milk fat percentage was higher and the milk protein percentage lower than in control cows. In conclusion, the laparoscopic abomasopexy according to Janowitz is a suitable method for the correction of LDA in dairy cows under field conditions. To investigate if the laparoscopic abomasopexy shows advantages in the treatment of LDA compared to other surgical methods in terms of success rate and post surgical productivity of affected cows further studies are necessary.