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When breeding cattle, owners may encounter not only pregnancy pathologies, but also problems at the calving or after it. One of the postpartum pathologies, hypocalcemia in cows, can occur as a result of the owner’s best intentions.
Causes and risk factors
The causes of hypocalcemia are not fully understood. The situation is about the same as with rheumatic hoof inflammation. The disease has many other names:
- milk fever;
- hypocalcemic fever;
- postpartum coma;
- postpartum paresis;
- milk fever;
- puerperal apoplexy.
Latin name: Infantile hypocalcemia.
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 diets are rich in calcium and protein concentrates are more susceptible to hypocalcemia.
Calcium is not absorbed without phosphorus and vitamin D, so the cause of hypocalcemia can indeed be a lack of calcium in an imbalance. That is, the cow receives too much calcium, which “passes through”.
According to another version, hypocalcemia occurs as a result of a decrease in the level of calcium and sugar in the blood with an increased intake of insulin. Rarely, but sometimes hypocalcemia appears 1-2 days before calving. Sometimes the disease may appear 3 months after calving. Against the background of such “jumps” with the timing, it can really be assumed that the matter is a hormonal imbalance.
They also do not deny hereditary predisposition, since not all cows from the herd get sick with the same diet. If it were only a matter of feed, 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 suffer from hypocalcemia repeatedly, while other members of the herd only have it once or not at all.
Practicing veterinarians have their own opinion: they believe that cows that enter the dry period late are most susceptible to hypocalcemia.
Symptoms of hypocalcemia in cows
The most susceptible to hypocalcemia are highly productive cows over the age of 5 years. The course of the disease can be mild to severe. Private owners often do not pay attention to the mild course of hypocalcemia, attributing the staggering gait to fatigue after calving. With such a course, the cow will either cope on her own, or the hypocalcemia will move to a stage where it can no longer be ignored. More severe symptoms:
- unsteadiness;
- anxiety;
- muscle tremor;
- S-shaped curvature of the neck;
- absent gaze;
- dilated pupils;
- lack of appetite;
- the desire to lie down, bending your legs 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 a severe form of the course, 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;
- tympanum;
- clouding of the cornea of the eyes;
- head tilted to the side;
- stretched 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 outwardly healthy, but cannot rise to her hind legs.
Diagnostics
The diagnosis is established by clinical signs. Since puerperal paresis does not pose a threat to other cows, pathological examinations 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 infect the entire herd.
Differentiating hypocalcemia from other internal non-contagious problems of the cow is of little comfort to the owner of the animal. This procedure is of interest to the veterinarian.
Pathological changes in hypocalcemia are mild:
- accumulation of fluid in the uterus;
- insufficient involution of the uterus 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 apparatus.
There are also changes in the udder, digestive tract, lymphatic system and internal parenchymal organs.
Treatment of cow hypocalcemia
With hypocalcemia, treatment cannot be delayed, but rather specific drugs are needed. Subcutaneously, cows are injected with a 20% caffeine solution. The teats are rubbed with alcohol and the Evers apparatus pumps air into the udder. The device exists in two versions: one-lobed and four-lobed. It is essentially a hand pump with a catheter 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.
Do intravenous injections of calcium gluconate or calcium chloride. Vitamin D₃ is injected subcutaneously.
Forecast
With a typical course of the disease, the prognosis is favorable. Cows respond positively to treatment. With an atypical form, treatment does not bring results.
Preventive measures
During the dry period, concentrates with a high protein content are excluded from the diet of cows. Vitamin and mineral premixes are added to the feed. Particular attention is paid to the content of vitamin D in feed and premixes. Drinking sweet water is carried out.
Do not delay the launch of the cow under any circumstances. In addition to the high risk of developing hypocalcemia at a late start, there is a high probability of a cow having no milk after calving or a calf born with a deformity.
Conclusion
Hypocalcemia in cows is easily preventable if not overzealous with concentrates and monitoring the calving process. An owner who knows his animal well will notice the onset of hypocalcemia even at the initial stage.