Ketosis in dairy cattle is primarily caused by what condition?

• A. A metabolic disorder caused by negative energy balance after calving
• B. A condition caused by excessive energy intake in late lactation
• C. An infectious disease transmitted by feed
• D. A deficiency of minerals causing milk fatigue

Answer: (A)

Ketosis is a metabolic disorder in dairy cattle that occurs when energy needs for milk production exceed energy intake after calving. In early lactation the cow’s demand for energy is very high, and if the diet doesn’t supply enough calories, the cow enters negative energy balance. To bridge this gap, fat from body stores is mobilized and converted into ketone bodies by the liver. Those ketones circulate in the blood and can appear in milk, leading to signs like reduced appetite, lower milk yield, weight loss, and weakness. It’s a metabolic issue tied to energy management during the transition period, not an infectious disease or a problem caused by eating too much energy later in lactation, nor a mineral deficiency. That’s why this description best fits ketosis.