01/04/2023
Milk Fever/Hypocalcemia
CLINICAL SIGN
The clinical signs of milk fever can be divided into three distinct stages.
Stage 1
Cows are mobile but show signs of hypersensitivity and excitability such as restlessness,tremors,ear twitching,head bobbing,and mild ataxia.If not treated symptoms usually progress to stage 2.
Stage 2
Cows can no longer stand and present in sternal recumbency. Tachycardia, weakened heart contraction and peripheral pulses. Cows appear dull, have dry muzzles, cold extremities and lower than normal body temperature. Smooth muscle paralysis can cause bloat,and the inability to urinate or defecate. Cows often tuck their heads into their flanks.
Cow lying on its side "lateral recumbency."
Stage 3
Lateral recumbency, muscle flaccidity, unresponsiveness to stimuli, and loss of consciousness progressing to coma. Heart rate can approach 120 bpm, with peripheral pulses becoming undetectable. If untreated, progression will continue to death.
CAUSES
During the dry period (late gestation, non-lactating), dairy cattle have relatively low calcium requirements,with a need to replace approximately 30 g of calcium per day due to utilization for fetal growth and f***l and urinary losses. At parturition the requirement for calcium is greatly increased due to initiation of lactation...
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