Content
When breeding cattle, owners may encounter not only pregnancy pathologies, but also problems during or after calving. One of the postpartum pathologies, hypocalcemia in cows, can occur as a result of the best intentions of the owner.
Causes and risk factors
The causes of hypocalcemia are not completely clear. The situation is approximately the same as with rheumatic hoof inflammation. The disease has many other names:
- milk fever;
- hypocalcemic fever;
- postpartum coma;
- postpartum paresis;
- milk fever;
- maternity apoplexy.
Latin name: Hypocalciemia puerperalis.
At one time it was believed that hypocalcemia occurs due to a lack of calcium in feed. But more recent studies have shown that cows whose diet consists of concentrates rich in calcium and protein are more susceptible to hypocalcemia.
Calcium is not absorbed without phosphorus and vitamin D, so the cause of hypocalcemia may indeed be a lack of calcium due to an imbalance. That is, the cow receives too much calcium, which “passes right through.”
According to another version, hypocalcemia occurs as a result of a decrease in calcium and blood sugar levels with an increased supply of insulin. Rarely, but sometimes hypocalcemia appears 1-2 days before calving. Sometimes the disease can appear 3 months after calving. Against the backdrop of such “jumps” with timing, one can really assume that the issue is a hormonal imbalance.
They also do not deny hereditary predisposition, since with the same diet, not all cows in the herd get sick. If it were only a matter of food, then if kept on the same diet, all individuals would be susceptible to hypocalcemia. Even in the same herd and with the same diet, some cows experience hypocalcemia more than once, while other members of the herd experience it only once or not at all.
Practicing veterinarians have their own opinion: they believe that cows that entered the dry period late are most susceptible to hypocalcemia.
Symptoms of hypocalcemia in cows
Highly productive cows aged 5 years and older are most susceptible to hypocalcemia. The course of the disease can range from mild to severe. Private owners often do not pay attention to mild hypocalcemia, attributing the unsteady gait to fatigue after calving. With this course, the cow will either cope on her own, or hypocalcemia will move to a stage where it can no longer be ignored. Symptoms of more severe forms:
- unsteadiness;
- anxiety;
- muscle tremors;
- S-shaped curvature of the neck;
- absent look;
- dilated pupils;
- lack of appetite;
- the desire to lie down with your legs tucked under you;
- decrease in body temperature to 37 °C;
- cold surface of the body, including the base of the horns and limbs.
A severe form of the disease can lead to coma and subsequent death of the cow. The two types of hypocalcemia can be distinguished by symptoms. In severe cases, the signs differ:
- decrease in body temperature to 35 ° C;
- arrhythmic, weak and rare pulse;
- hoarse, rare breathing;
- paralysis of the pharynx and tongue;
- lacrimation;
- tympany;
- clouding of the cornea of the eyes;
- head thrown to the side;
- extended legs;
- loss of skin sensitivity;
- lack of reflexes.
With these symptoms, treatment should be started as soon as possible, but there is no guarantee of recovery.
With this course of the disease, the cow is apparently healthy, but cannot rise on her hind legs.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis is made by clinical signs. Since postpartum paresis does not pose a threat to other cows, pathological studies can only help differentiate hypocalcemia from infectious diseases.
Differential diagnosis is necessary to exclude acute infectious diseases and poisoning. The latter, although not contagious, can affect the entire herd.
Differentiating hypocalcemia from other internal, non-contagious cow problems is of little comfort to the animal owner. This procedure is of interest to the veterinarian.
Pathological changes in hypocalcemia are mild:
- accumulation of fluid in the uterus;
- insufficient uterine involution after calving;
- bruising;
- congestive hyperemia of organs;
- signs of aspiration bronchopneumonia;
- expansion of the heart;
- pulmonary edema;
- muscle rupture.
Histological examination shows:
- hypertrophy of the adrenal cortex, pituitary gland and thyroid gland;
- dystrophy of the nervous system, parathyroid glands and muscular system.
There are also changes in the udder, digestive tract, lymphatic system and internal parenchymal organs.
Treatment of hypocalcemia in cows
If you have hypocalcemia, you cannot delay treatment, but you need quite specific drugs. Cows are injected subcutaneously with a 20% caffeine solution. The nipples are wiped with alcohol and air is pumped into the udder using the Evers apparatus. The device exists in two versions: monocotyledon and four-lobed. It is essentially a hand pump with a catheter that is inserted into the nipple.
After pumping air, the nipples are tied with a bandage for 15-20 minutes. The sacrum and lower back are rubbed with burlap and wrapped warmly.
If necessary, air pumping is repeated after 6-8 hours or 600-1000 ml of fresh milk from a healthy cow is poured into the udder.
Intravenous injections of calcium gluconate or calcium chloride are given. Vitamin D₃ is injected subcutaneously.
Forecast
In the typical course of the disease, the prognosis is favorable. Cows respond positively to treatment. In the atypical form, treatment does not bring results.
Preventive actions
During the dry period, concentrates with a high protein content are excluded from the cows' diet. Vitamin and mineral premixes are added to the feed. Particular attention is paid to the content of vitamin D in feed and premixes. They are given sweet water.
Do not delay starting a cow under any circumstances. In addition to the high risk of developing hypocalcemia with a late start, there is a high probability that the cow will not have milk after calving or the birth of a calf with a deformity.
Conclusion
Hypocalcemia in cows is easily preventable if you do not overdo it with concentrates and monitor the calving process. An owner who knows his animal well will notice the onset of hypocalcemia even at the initial stage.
