الفهرس 
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Abstract
Milk-sucking (self-sucking and inter-sucking) is an anxious problem causing a lot of economic losses in dairy farms. The main cause behind this unpleasant behavior is unknown. Several studies have been conducted to elucidate the main causes and have found that it is a multi-factorial problem. The present study had looked after the individual cases of cows and buffaloes suffering this abnormal behavior, as well as, the two surgical techniques used for treatment of milk sucking. One hundred cows and buffaloes were admitted to different clinics of Elkharga city in New-valley Governorate between January 2019 and August 2020. A thorough and complete examination of the animals was conducted. The recorded data were history, signalment of the animals, clinical findings, associating problems and response to conservative treatment, if it was done before.
Self-sucker animals (cows n=90) and (buffaloes n=10) were divided into 3 groups according to the treatment and the preference of the owner. Thirty cows were not subjected to any treatment and their owners preferred either to sell or to slaughter the animal. Forty cows were treated conservatively through the application of the plastic nose (n= 27) or mouth rings milk sucking preventer (n= 13) according to the availability in markets.
The surgically operated animals were divided into two groups according to the surgical technique. Twenty of animals (cows=14; buffaloes =6) were subjected to ventral partial glossectomy, and the other ten animals (cows=6, buffaloes=4) were treated using inverting technique (tongue reshaping).
The results revealed the followings: The mean age (±SE) for cows and buffaloes were 4.6 ± 0.11 and 5.4± 0.3 years, respectively. The mean weight (±SE) for cows and buffaloes were 380.8± 9.25 and 392± 31.4 kilograms, respectively.
The animal appetite was good even though there were thirty cows suffering from aberration. They ate the ropes and rocks. They were among the animals that were raised by the peasants.
The daily milk yield in cows ranged from 8 to 15 kilograms/day (mean= 11.46 ± 0.18) and in buffaloes it ranged from 12 to 14 kilograms/day (mean= 12.8± 0.33).
Seventy-five animals (cows=67, buffaloes= 8) gave their birth normally without human interference (eutokia), while the others (cows=23, buffaloes= 2) found difficulty at parturition (dystokia).
The clinical examination of the animals revealed that they were in good body condition. The animals’ body score ranged from 2 to 4 with mean 2.9± 0.07 and 3.1± 0.1 for cows and buffaloes, respectively. Their mean (±SE) temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate were 38.4± 0.03 C°& 38.2± 0.09 C°, 69.34± 0.7 B/m & 62.9± 2.4 B/m and 21.6± 0.55 RC/m & 20.1± 2.16 RC/m for cows and buffaloes, respectively.
The total number of animals had self-sucking was sixty seven (cows=60, buffaloes=7), while the inter-sucking was recorded in thirty three animals (cows=30, buffaloes=3).
Sixty cows got into their estrous cycle within 2 months after parturition. Fifteen animals took 3 months for displaying the signs of estrous whereas the last fifteen cows displayed their heat after treatment, which was begun four months from parturition. The buffaloes come to the estrous somewhat late relative to cows. It took 3 to 4 months after parturition especially after they were treated by phosphorus containing products such as dibasic sodium phosphate.
The conception rate in all cows is nearly 85% after the coming of first estrous post-parturition. The remaining number of cows became pregnant after the uterine infusion using 2% of Povidone-iodine.
A total of fifteen out of thirty cows suffering from a depraved appetite had postpartum hypocalcemia, which was effectively treated. Four out of ten buffaloes had suffered post-parturient hemoglobinuria, which was diagnosed as hypophosphatemia that was effectively treated.
As long as the nose or mouth rings didn’t wear out or destroy when left for a long time, the conservative treatment for milk sucking was effective in preventing the sucking of milk. However, the animals return to sucking themselves or others after removing the rings which were fixed for a long time. Furthermore, the spikes in the rings caused udder injuries to other animals when the cows intersucked.
Although ventral glossectomy technique is 100% successful in treatment of self-sucking/inter-sucking in cattle and buffaloes, it takes longer operation time and healing time, utilizes more suture material than reshaping technique. In addition, it is more invasive and has more complications than reshaping technique.
So the ventral partial glossectomy technique is better than the reshaping technique in the elimination of the self-sucking vice.