MILK FEVER " HYPOCALCEMIA" : Signs , Diagnosis,Treatment and Control

Milk fever

Milk Fever : Definition and causes :

The milk fever also known as hypocalcemia is a disease that affects cows because of a deficiency of calcium in the blood as they suffer a great imbalance of this mineral due to the demand that arises for the formation of colostrum and milk.


Most of the time the milk fever occurs in dairy cows and when they are adult cows, especially since the third calving. Because there are some races that produce more than others the main races that suffer from this problem are the following: Holstein, Swiss, Jersey, Guernsey, Shorthorn and Ayrshire.

It is a disease with a great impact on dairy production due to the great losses caused by the milk fever, as it causes us complications in the low production, the animals that get to suffer this disease can produce from 5 to 15% Less milk, or in some cases can even kill animals.

Calcium and phosphorus are the minerals that make up about 70% of the total minerals in the animal. Calcium is mainly distributed in three compartments: gastrointestinal tract that is absorbable, bone system which is resorbable and in serum which is usable.

Clinical signs of milk fever:

The clinical signs of milk fever vary depending on which stage the animal is in.
When we have subclinical milk fever, some of the signs are that the cow does not defecate, rectal flaccidity, indigestion, etc.

In the clinical stage of the milk fever different signs are observed such as the lack of movement on the part of the animal, do not eat, has muscular tremors, and sometimes when the animal can move, it falls easily. The animal looks very depressed and with very cold extremities, it gets to lower up to 2 degrees your body temperature. Already when the animal is in a very difficult stage, it is prostrated of lateral cubit until it can no longer be lifted and if it is not treated in time can die by a respiratory insufficiency.

Some of the complications that can occur after the milk fever are: placental retention, metritis, endometritis, infertility, uterine prolapse, rectal prolapse, abomasal displacement, fallen cow syndrome, among others.
Diagnosis of milk fever :

The diagnosis of the milk fever is very complicated, the symptoms can be confused with those of some other diseases, such as: mastitis, endotoxemias, metritis, uterine rupture, among others. To diagnose milk fever, it is recommended that blood tests be done to measure blood calcium levels which should be between 4.3 - 5.1 mg / dL.
 Control of milk fever:  

   To have a good control of the milk fever is necessary to handle a very good diet in the transition period that goes from 3 weeks before delivery until 3 weeks postpartum.
One of the easiest practices to control milk fever is to add anionic salts to the diet, helping to stimulate the removal of calcium from bone tissues and this allows to maintain the levels of calcium that are really needed in the blood.

Treatment of milk fever :

It is recommended that the treatment be applied since the early stages of clinical signs are observed to prevent the cow from falling and get ahead faster.
In LAVET veterinary laboratories we have a very effective product for the treatment of milk fever, which is Calciton, which is recommended to apply from 100 to 200ml for cattle by intravenous slow or deep intramuscular. The intravenous route has a faster effect but you have to be very careful with the speed of administration. 


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