ANN 111: Principles of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology (2+1)

Deficiency symptoms - Milk fever (parturient paresis)

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS - MILK FEVER

• Milk fever (parturient paresis) is a condition, which most commonly occurs in dairy cows shortly after calving.
• It is characterized by a lowering of the serum calcium level, muscular spasms and in extreme case paralysis and unconsciousness.
• The exact cause of hypocalcaemia associated with milk fever is obscure, but it is generally occurs with the onset of lactation,
• The parathyroid gland is unable to respond rapidly enough to increase calcium absorption from the intestine to meet the extra demand.
• Normal levels of blood calcium can be restored by intravenous injections of calcium gluconate, but this may not always have a permanent effect.
• It has been shown that avoiding excessive intakes of calcium while maintaining adequate dietary levels of phosphorus during the dry period reduces the incidence of milk fever.
• Feeding acidified diet during the later part of dry period also suggested to prevent milk fever.
• Deliberate use of low calcium diets during dry period to increase calcium absorption in the practical prevention of milk fever requires a good estimate of calving date, otherwise calcium deficiency may occur.
• Administration of large doses of vitamin D3 for a short period prior to parturition has also proved beneficial.