Relationship between incidence of milk fever and feeding of minerals during the last 3 weeks of gestation

Abstract

This study evaluated whether differences in milk fever incidence among Swedish dairy herds could be explained partly by differences in mineral feeding during the last weeks of gestation. A case-control study was performed on dietary risk factors for a high incidence of milk fever at the herd level using information regarding feeding and management of the dry cows collected in a written questionnaire distributed by post in spring 2008. The study was conducted from September 2004 to August 2007. Data on the diets fed to dry cows, with an emphasis on the amounts of minerals (Ca, P, Mg and K) fed 3 weeks before calving and at calving, were obtained from 30 herds belonging to the 100 Swedish herds with the highest recorded incidence of veterinary treatment for milk fever (>8.8%) and from 22 herds with no recorded milk fever treatments. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that a linear increase in the total amount of K and less than 26 g of Mg/day fed to dry cows 3 weeks before calving was associated with an increased risk of high milk fever incidence. A large increase in the amount of dry matter (DM) fed (>3.1 kg DM extra per day at calving compared with 3 weeks before calving) was associated with a higher incidence of milk fever, but no differences were found for Ca or P intake. Breed composition, herd average milk yield and age composition of the herd did not explain any of the observed differences between the case and the control herds. The results indicate that differences in the frequency of milk fever among herds can be associated with differences in mineral feeding of the dry cows. A high amount of K in the diet may increase the risk of milk fever linearly, whereas Mg should probably be fed at a higher level than the current Nordic recommendation to prevent milk fever.

Participatory Empowerment Model for the Sustainability of Dairy Farming

“…There was reduction in the incidence of milk fever cases from 1 per cent to 0.2 per cent in case of cows and 5 per cent to nil cases in buffaloes (Kronqvist et al, 2012). On the overall 28.77 per cent and 27.21 per cent of cost reduction has been worked out for cows and buffaloes through the scheme respectively (Thanh and Suksombat, 2015).…”

Hipocalcemia subclínica en ganado vacuno lechero: tratamiento y manejo preventivo. Revisión bibliográfica

“…La alimentación de la vaca seca se ajustará a las necesidades metabólicas del animal, evitando el uso de forrajes ricos en potasio (henos y silos de gramíneas y leguminosas con altas cantidades de abonos orgánicos) (Corbellini, 2000). La elevada cantidad de dicho mineral reduce la capacidad de la vaca para mantener la homeostasis del calcio, ya que predispone a una alcalosis metabólica (Rerat y Schlegel, 2014;Kronqvist et al, 2012). en resumen, debemos tener en cuenta que el estado endocrino-metabólico del animal durante el preparto, es el principal factor que da origen a la hipocalcemia, tiene más importancia que la propia cantidad de calcio que aportamos en la ración a la vaca de leche.…”

“…2. Alimentación de las vacas en los días anterio res al parto, con raciones bajas en calcio (Horst et al, 1997;Houe et al, 2001;Kronqvist et al, 2012;Martinez et al, 2016).…”

“…Las necesidades de calcio de la vaca seca de 500 kg son de 33 g/día durante los dos últimos meses de gestación (Kronqvist et al, 2012), relativamente bajas si mencionamos que la mayoría de raciones para vacas secas contienen cantidades superiores de calcio, entorno a 45g/día (Bach y Calsamiglia, 2002). Al superarse las necesidades, la demanda de calcio se cubre por mecanismos osmóticos a través del tracto gastrointestinal, quedando los mecanismos homeostáticos prácticamente inactivos.…”

“…El magnesio resulta ser otro mineral a valorar en las raciones de cara a la prevención de la hipocalcemia. Una dieta baja en magnesio durante las 3 semanas previas al parto puede producir que aumente el riesgo de las vacas a padecer hipocalcemia (Kronqvist et al, 2012). Son necesarias cantidades adecuadas de Mg para la secreción de PTH, y así mantener un buen estado de sus receptores y del complejo proteico de estimulación-G (necesario para una respuesta tisular correcta ante el estímulo de la PTH (Mulligan et al, 2006;Kronqvist et al, 2012)).…”