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HYPOCALCAEMIA in dairy cattle. (Source: http :// www.eyefetch.com/image.aspx?ID=405372). Sophie Rosevear, Jessie Neal, Tara Hall and Alex Doddridge. Introduction. Calcium is essential, it is involved in many physiological processes.
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HYPOCALCAEMIAin dairy cattle (Source: http://www.eyefetch.com/image.aspx?ID=405372) Sophie Rosevear, Jessie Neal, Tara Hall and Alex Doddridge
Introduction Calcium is essential, it is involved in many physiological processes. Dairy cows have been heavily selected for the ability to produce high milk yields. There is a fine calcium balance in the dairy cow. When demand for energy and calcium suddenly increases this balance is disrupted. Calcium homeostasis fails = milk fever (also called periparturient paresis) Affects productivity and longevity of high producing dairy cows
Calcium (Source: Horst 1986)
Failure of homeostasis and development of hypocalcaemia Lactation generates a sudden, very high demand on calcium homeostasis Causing an imbalance between calcium output and influx of calcium to maintain the extracellular pool (plasma) from bone, kidney and intestine Failure of calcium homeostasis Between 5 and 20% of cows will develop milk fever Occurs within 12 to 24 hours of parturition Milk fever is hypocalcaemia severe enough to present clinical signs, when plasma calcium levels are between 8 mg/dL and 6 mg/dL
Clinical Signs (Source: http://informedfarmers.com/dairy-cattle-industry/downer-cow/) Hyper excitability with anorexia, listlessness and muscle weakness Body temperature declines as condition worsens Sternalrecumbency with lateral neck kink (as shown above) Ruminalatony and constipation due to a loss of smooth muscle contractile function causing bloat ‘Crush syndrome’ followed by 'downer cow’ syndrome If parturient birthing process is suspended Weak heart sounds and tachycardia Later stages cow is laterally recumbent with a temperature as low as 32°C (normal temp 38-38.5°C) Death can occur in a few to several hours, and is likely at a rate of 60-70% without treatment
Predisposing factors Age Most common in cows in 3rd lactation and older Studiesshowing that the intestinal receptors for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D decline in quantity with age Older animals are also less able to mobilise calcium from bone Older animals have a greater milk production = greater demand for calcium Breed Breeds such as Channel Island, Swedish Red and White, and Jerseys are all more susceptible to milk fever than Holsteins One study showed that intestinal receptors for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D are around 15% less in Jerseys than Holsteins Metabolic alkalosis (MA) Mostly caused by a diet that supplies more cations(K, Na, Ca and Mg) than anions (Cl, SO₄ and PO₄)causing a difference in electrical charge in body fluids MA has been shown to blunt the homeostatic response of dairy cows to parathyroid hormone because it is believed that it causes a change in conformation of the parathyroid hormone receptor in all target tissues Thus the cow cannot benefit from these homeostatic mechanisms and restore plasma calcium Hypomagnesaemia Low levels of magnesium also interferes with the ability of parathyroid hormone to act on its target tissues Particularly in relation to magnesium’s action as a co-factor allowing parathyroid hormone to stimulate cyclic AMP production (necessary for operation of calcium channels)
Prevention of hypocalcaemia Prevention of hypocalcaemia, not just milk fever, should be a major goal of dairy farms The DCAD method Induce a compensated metabolic acidosis in the cow restoring the ability of parathyroid hormone to regulate blood calcium levels. Reduce dietary cations and to increase dietary anions. Causing a reduction in what is known as the Dietary Cation-Anion Difference (DCAD), subsequently lowering the pH of the blood. (Source: Horst et al. 2005)
Prevention of hypocalcaemia continued … Feeding a calcium-deficient diet Reducing calcium in diet prior to calving to increase calcium efficency Diets less than the required concentration of calcium can cause a slight decline in plasma calcium stimulating increased release of parathyroid hormone Implemented days prior to parturition the homeostatic response, including osteoclastic bone resorption, is already active and the cow is able to utilisecalcium with maximum efficiency Demand for calcium is more easily overcome and hypocalcaemia can be avoided Higher dietary Magnesium A higher dietary magnesium concentration prior to calving ensures that passive diffusion of magnesium in the rumen can occur and levels of magnesium in the blood will be adequate
Treatment Should be implemented as early as possible Restore the plasma calcium Fastest: IV injection of calcium salts, usually calcium borogluconate (recommended 2g Ca/100 kg bodyweight) Administer the Ca at a rate of 1 g/ min While listening to the heart to avoid fatal arrhythmia Oral gels containing calcium salts are given before, during and around 12-24 hours after parturition as a preventative treatment measure
CONCLUSION Economically important Affects productivity Reduces a dairy cow's productive life. It costs the dairy industry not only through loss of production but also in the cost of control and treatment measures. Prevention is key Future research focus on regulatory mechanisms of calcium metabolism.
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REFERENCES continued Kimura, K., Reinhardt, T.A. and Goff, J.P. 2006, ‘Parturition and hypocalcaemiabluntscalciumsignals in immune cells of dairycattle’, Journal of Dairy Science vol. 89, pp. 2588-2595 Kronqvist, C., Emanuelson, U., Sporndly, R. and Holtenius, K. 2011, 'Effects of prepartumdietry calcium level on calcium and magnesium metabolism periparturient in dairy cows', Journal of Dairy Science vol. 94, no. 3, pp. 1365-1373 Lean, I. J., DeGaris, P. J., McNeil, D. M. and Block, E. 2006, 'Hypocalcemia in dairy cows: meta-analysis and dietary cation anion difference theory revised', Journal of Dairy Science vol. 89, pp. 669-684 McNeill, D. M., Roche, J. R., McLachlan, B. P. and Stockdale, C. R. 2002,'Nutritional strategies for the prevention of hypocalcaemia at calving for dairy cows in pasture-based systems, Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, vol. 53, no. 7, pp. 755-770 Oba, M., Oakley, A.E. and Tremblay, G.F. 2011, ‘Dietary Ca concentration to minimise the risk of hypocalcaemia in dairy cows is affected by the dietary cation-anion difference’, Animal Feed Science and Technology vol. 164, pp. 147-153 Peacock, M. 2010, ‘Calcium Metabolism in Health and Disease’, Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology vol.5, pp. s23-s30 Radositis, O.M., Gay, C.C., Hinchcliff, K.W. and Constable, P.D. (2007), 'Veterinary Medicine - A textbook of the diseases of cattle, horses, sheep, pigs and goats,' Saunders Elsevier, worldwide (Sydney) Reinhardt, T. A., Lippolis, J. D., McCluskey, B. J., Goff, J. P. and Horst, R. L. 2011, 'Prevalence of subclinical hypocalcemia in dairy herds', The Veterinary Journal vol. 188, pp. 122-124 Ramberg, C.F., Johnson, E.K., Fargo, R.D. and Kronfeld, D.S. 1984, ‘Calcium homeostasis in cows, with special reference to parturient hypocalcaemia’, America Journal of Physiology vol. 246, no. 15, pp. R698-R704 Schenck, P. A. and Chew, D. J. 2008, 'Hypocalcemia: A Quick Reference', Veterinary Clinic Small Animal vol. 38, pp. 455-458 Shahzad, M. A. and Mahr-un-Nisa, M. S. 2008, 'Influence of varying dietary cation anion difference on serum minerals, mineral balance and hypocalcemia in Nili Ravi buffaloes', Livestock Science vol. 113, pp. 52-61