RAJIV GANDHI INSTITUTE OF VETERINARY

EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL NUTRITION

TRACKING PROGRAMME
“MILK FEVER IN CATTLE”

DONE BY :
SREEDHAR.K
14BVS049
 MILK FEVER
INTRODUCTION:
Milk fever is a disease that affects dairy cattle but can also occur in
beef cattle, goats, or even dogs. It occurs when there is reduced blood
calcium levels (hypocalcaemia) in cows a few days before or after calving.
Some people call this condition postparturient hypocalcemia while others
call it parturient paresis. A positive diagnosis is given when the blood
calcium level goes below 8.5 mg/dl (or 2 mmol/l). In calf cows need to
replenish the calcium that the fetus needs for growth, which is about 30 g
per day. The cow should replenish this calcium through the feeds or by
supplementation.

When the demand is not met through feeding, the calcium reserves in the
skeletal muscles drop. After parturition, the cow needs even more calcium
to replace what is lost through the colostrum. The cow loses plasma
calcium through the udder to make the colostrum for the calf. When the
plasma calcium drainage is so severe that it affects the cow’s
neurotransmitter functions, the cow will exhibit the clinical signs of milk
fever.

CAUSES AND PREDISPOSING FACTORS FOR MILK FEVER

High producers have a higher risk to hypocalcaemia since the fall in
their blood calcium level is greater. They may not be able to replenish the
large volumes of calcium reserves that drain into the milk. Heifers are
rarely affected by milk fever since they have not fully realized their
production potentials. Older dams that have calved multiple times have a
higher productivity, hence higher susceptibility to milk fever.The feeding
regime during the close up dry period has a great bearing as to whether a
cow will suffer from milk fever or not. During this time, there is an
increased demand for calcium, which the cow should replace from the
feed.

However, you should be cautious when making the ratios so that

you do not unnecessarily increase the alkalinity of the feed to an extent
that calcium becomes non-bioavailable for the cow.A highly alkaline
environment hinders mobilization of calcium from the bones and
absorption of calcium in the intestines. The imbalance increases the cow’s
risk to milk fever.

Cows that get milk fever before parturition are attributed to the
rapid fetal growth, which demands a lot of calcium. If the cow cannot
replenish the minerals through the feeds, it will have milk fever. Such cows
should have a well balanced diet that will supply all the needed nutrients.
The feeding program should continue until after parturition. You should
incorporate as much calcium and clover-rich pastures as possible because
the two will help prevent grass tetany(magnesium deficiency caused by
feeding on lush grass).

SYMPTOMS AND DIFFERENT STAGES OF MILK FEVER

Large herds may be more susceptible, especially if most of the
animals are old or exhibit the risk factor listed above. The old stock may
pass the undesirable traits to their calves, which compounds the problem
in the farm.

You can diagnose milk fever in three distinct phases:

PHASE 1
Cows are hypersensitive, restless, and may have body tremors.
They shift body weight and have unbalanced gait, especially in the hind
legs. This phase is tricky because you have only one hour window to detect
and treat the cow. If you do not treat the cow at this stage, it progresses to
phase 2
PHASE 2
This stage lasts a bit longer, ranging from one hour to half a day (12
hours). The cow has a clearly observable difficulty while moving around
and is generally dull. Body temperature drops and the muzzle dries up.
Heart rate increases to more than 100bpm. The strength of the heartbeat
(tachycardia) falls and may not be easily noticeable. The cow loses ability
to stand on her feet and lies down sternally. You may observe constipation
and the cow will have difficulty defecating or urinating since the smooth
muscles will have paralysis. The cow tucks the head in the flanks. You still
have a better chance of saving the cow. However, if you do not treat the
cow, the condition will progress to phase 3.

PHASE 3
The cow has lost all the ability to stand, body temperature has
dropped drastically and the heart rate has increased to over 120bpm. Cow
exhibits lateral recumbency (lies on the side) and does not respond to
stimuli. Tachycardia is very weak and if you do not introduce an
intravenous injection, the cow will slip into a coma and die after a few
hours.

HOW TO TREAT MILK FEVER?

Treat the affected cow as soon as possible because death is certain if
you don’t. Collect the animal’s blood sample for further clinical analysis
before you administer any treatment.Depending on the stage of the
condition, you may choose one of the three options available for
administering the treatment.

ORAL TREATMENT
For animals that are still in the early stages of the condition, oral
treatment is a viable option. The advantage of this option is that the
calcium gets absorbed in the intestines.However, some people may be
reluctant to use this option because calcium gels ulcerate the oral cavity or
the cow’s intestines. Furthermore, the unpalatability of these gels will lead
to reduced feed intake.On the other hand, administering a liquid calcium
solution increases the risk of pulmonary aspiration since the solution is
very caustic. You can use 300 ml, or more, of a 40% solution of calcium
gluconate. Since a myriad of other minerals such as magnesium,
phosphorus and glucose (for energy) may be in short supply at the same
time, you can use a combined mineral solution that contains these
minerals.

SUBCUTANEOUS ADMINISTRATION

You inject calcium solution in the peripheral parts. Since the animal has
a low pulse and an inefficient circulation, you should split the dose and
administer it in different parts. This will facilitate a speedy uptake of the
treatment into the system.One problem with this method is that, there is a
likelihood of the drug causing necrosis at the injection site. This is
attributed to the poor circulation of blood in the peripheral tissues.

INTRAVENOUS INJECTION
Administer 500 milliliters of 23 percent calcium gluconate
intravenously. It will boost the blood calcium level, which is not only
necessary but also critical in an emergency situation. IV injection provides
a rapid increase in blood calcium and provides the desired result almost
instantly. Take caution while administering an IV treatment so that you do
not end up killing the cow with a heart attack. Administer the dose slowly
to boost the blood calcium levels slowly. Take note that blood calcium will
drop again after four hours, taking the cow back to a hypocalcaemic state.
Administering large IV doses will not benefit a cow with milk fever much.
Once the cow has regained strength, add oral treatment to reinforce the
IV.
WHAT OTHER PROGRESSIVE TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR MILK FEVER
EXIST?

 Always keep packets of calcium gluconate solution together

with an injection kit for emergency situations. Ensure they are
clean and sterile. If you do not know anything about animal
health, keep your vet’s number on speed dial. Always call your
vet to do IV injections because you can easily kill your valuable
cow.

 When your cow has slipped to the later stages of phase two of
milk fever and phase three and it is lying on the sides, prop it up
before you start administering treatment. Propping the cow will
help you expel the gas in the cow’s stomach and reduce
flatulence.

 Feed the animal and give it plenty of clean water. Keep it as

comfortable as possible.

 Cows that have slipped into a coma may have inhaled rumen
into their lungs. You can tell this if rumen content is present
around the nose. If that is the case, administer antibiotics
because your cow may die due to inhalation pneumonia.

 Refrain from milking the cow for the next 24 hours to allow it
extract as much calcium as possible. Gradually increase the
amount of milk over the period of 48 – 72 hours.
 PREVENTING MILK FEVER EPISODES

 FEEDING MANAGEMENT
Feeding plays a key role in preventing the occurrence of milk fever.
Keep cows on low calcium diets to stimulate their body systems to mobilize
calcium from the bones. This will help in maintaining a level concentration
of calcium in the blood. It is easier for the cow to mobilize calcium from
the bones than from the feeds.

Conduct mineral test for the feeds and check for availability
of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulfur, and
chloride. Consult an animal nutritionist to help you develop an effective
feeding plan that will take care of your cow’s mineral needs and prevent
incidences of milk fever.

Identify the animals that are at risk of developing milk fever and put
them on dry matter feed for about three weeks before calving. Limit the
amount of grass and green pasture feeding to reduce the risk of
grass tetany. Ensure that the feed has no mold or traces of mycotoxins
(e.g. afflatoxin) in it.

Administer high energy low calcium feeds to improve productivity.

Cereals have high energy and phosphorus as an added advantage. You can
add about 100 grams of ammonium chloride to the feed if the cow’s
rumen has a high pH (test urine pH). Begin administering this ration to the
cow two days before parturition and continue until two days after
parturition.

PHYSICAL MONITORING
When the cows are about to calve down, keep a closer watch over
them to allow you detect milk fever early should such an incidence occur.
 After parturition, gradually introduce calcium rich feeds and do not
restrict the cow’s feeding. You can even use calcium feed supplements.

 VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTATION
If you cannot find proper dietary management programs readily,
you can inject the cow with vitamin D intravenously (co-factor for calcium
absorption). Administer this before parturition (usually between two to
seven days before calving).

If the cow does not calve down withing the projected window and
the seven-day window elapses, repeat the treatment after 10 days (as
necessary). Supplement vitamin D intake for all the lactating animals. Peg
the supplementation to 50,000 units per head per day for all the cows. This
will help the cows to utilize calcium much better.

MINERAL SUPPLEMENTATION
Some farmers prefer to take the precaution and inject the cow with
calcium gluconate just before or after calving. This method is quite a
success in preventing milk fever since the boost builds up calcium reservoir
in the blood to make it readily available for making milk.There should be a
caveat here. IV administration of calcium will boost calcium level in the
blood but the effect is likely to wear off after some time if the cow’s
biological calcium regulation system has not taken effect.You can drench
the cow with a calcium solution for two days before parturition. Since
magnesium deficiency is almost always associated with milk fever, you can
add magnesium into the drenching solution. Drenching after injecting the
cow will prevent relapse of milk fever. When the plasma calcium drainage
is so severe that it affects the cow’s neurotransmitter functions, the cow
will exhibit the clinical signs of milk fever.
REFERENCES:
http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/agriculture/pests-
diseases-and-weeds/animal-diseases/beef-and-dairy-
cows/milk-fever-hypocalcaemia-in-cows

 http://dairytechnologist.com/milk-fever/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22923322

http://www.elearnvet.net/moodle/mod/glossary/print
.php?id=19494&mode=date&hook=&sortkey=UPDATE
&sortorder=asc&offset=60

Livestock production manasgement(LPM) notes