Milk fever in cattle |Hypocalcemia|, etiology, predisposing factors,symptoms, treatment and prevention-2021

Fig: A milk fever patient 

It is a febrile metabolic disease of cattle,sheep and goat occurring around the time of parturition and caused by hypocalcemia and characterized by weakness,recumbency and ultimate shock and death.

Milk fever, also known as hypocalcemia, or parturient paresis, is by no means a new condition for modern dairy cattle.

Etiology

1.Hypocalcemia  just before and after parturition  causes milk fever. It is generally accepted that a depression of the level of ionized calcium in tissue fluids is the basic biochemical defect in milk fever.

2.There are several factors which affect calcium homeostasis and helps in causing the disease. These are-

-Excessive loss of calcium through colostrum 

-Impairment of absorption of Calcium from the intestine at parturition.

-If calcium mobilization from skeleton or bone is not sufficient to maintain the normal serum level.

3.Factors causing inadequate absorption of Calcium from alimentary tract or as follow-

-Dietary deficiency of calcium 

-Formation of insoluble compound of calcium in the intestine. eg, calcium oxalate, calcium phytate etc.

-Improper ratio of calcium and phosphorus.

-Deficiency of Vitamin D 

-Dysfunction of parathyroid gland and

-Enteritis 

4.Hypomagnesaemia  

-Recently calved cows infected with coliform mastitis may suffer from milk fever.

-over engorgement for over eating of  fermentable carbohydrate.

-Intravenous administration of certain aminoglycosides  especially Neomycin,Gentamycin may cause of reduction in the degree of ionization of serum calcium anf a syndrome similar to milk fever.

-Oral dosing with ZnO as a prophylaxis against facial eczema in ewes causes serious fall in serum calcium levels 24 hours later.Caution is recommended with the use of these drugs in parturient cows.

Predisposing factors

Age- In early calcium mobilization and intestinal absorption are more than the older age and peak lactation period is 4th to 6th lactation, so the occurrence of this disease is comparatively more in older aged cows and usually occurs in 4-8 years age group.

Breed- Jersey breed is comparatively more susceptible to milk fever.

Nutrition :Deficiency of calcium and phosphorus in diet or improper ratio of both in the diet cause milk fever. 48 hours fasting condition and low quality feed causes hypocalcaemia. Calcium mobilization is reduced due to chronic hypomagnesaemia.

Hormone- At partum and at estrus period oestrogen hormone secretion increased, so Ca mobilization is hampered.Anorexia occurs and due to reduction of intestinal motility Ca absorption is hampered. Besides the above it was once postulated that failure to secret adequate level of parathyroid hormone was the primary defect in cow which developed milk fever.

Clinical signs

1. Loss of appetite, trembling of head and legs.

2. Heart beat increases and subnormal temperature.
3. Lameness and ataxia.
4. Seizures can be seen in the body of the animal.

5.Self auscultation,grinding of teeth,staggering gait.

6.Lateral recumbency,pupil dilation,abnormal respiration

7.Defective urination and defecation.

8.Without any treatment death result within 12-24 hours.

Diagnosis

1.Clinical history (anamnesis): History of diet feeding, pregnancy and parturition and animals that've recently giving birth to young.

2.Clinical signs such as paresis and depression of consciousness. Lateral recumbency with characteristics posture.

3.Biochemical examination of blood to detect serum level of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) and magnesium.

4.Rapid response to treatment with Calcium borogluconate solution.

Treatment

Fig: Calcium therapy intravenously

milk fever cases should be treated with 500 milliliters of 23 percent calcium gluconate IV and followed by the administration of two oral calcium bolus given 12 hours apart. It is important to emphasize that oral calcium bolus should not be administered if cows do not respond to the calcium IV treatment.

Prevention

The traditional way of preventing milk fever has been to limit calcium intake during the close-up dry period to less than 100 g/cow/day. Dry cows on high calcium diets have their metabolism geared towards reducing calcium absorption from the diet and increasing excretion of excess dietary calcium.