MILK FEVER

[Guest guest]

High potassium is the main culprit in milk fever. Feeding low

Potassium hay before birth will help.

Cheyenne

This excess calcium sets off

> a " chain reaction " causing calcium to be deposited into her bones

> when her body needs to be releasing it for use in milk production.

> Simply put, Milk Fever is a failure of the body's system to activate

> calcium mobilization and not a deficiency of calcium reserves.

>

[Guest guest]

Given the author's credentials and support, unless you can show me a

study or reserach to back up the potassium claim, I'm going to believe

the calcium claim. Thank you for your input though.

" isaiah7_25 " wrote:

High potassium is the main culprit in milk fever. Feeding low

Potassium hay before birth will help.

Cheyenne

" This excess calcium sets off a " chain reaction " causing calcium to be

deposited into her bones when her body needs to be releasing it for use

in milk production. Simply put, Milk Fever is a failure of the body's

system to activate calcium mobilization and not a deficiency of calcium

reserves. "

[Guest guest]

An understanding is needed on the calcium mobilization issue and the role of the DCAD balance (dietary cation anion difference) of the prepartum ration upon the mineral status of the cow. The balance of Sodium-Potassium-Chloride-Sulfur within the ration will 'push' the acidity of the blood to control calcium mobilization. And yes, potassium can be a cause of milk fever and such a cow will be unresponsive to intraveneous calcium gluconate. Magnesium and phosphorus can also be implicated in milk fevers.

Balance the prepartum diet. Cheyenne is right, low potassium hay is the best thing you can do for a dry cow. If you want to get fancy and complicated, anionic salts fed for 3 weeks prepartum are an option under the guidance of your veterinarian and/or nutritionist. It is a last resort too because they present challenges in monitoring and adjusting the feed levels to urine pH of cows on it and palatability concerns are another issue. They require very high levels of management. Another thing that can combat milk fever is feeding straw. One reason for feeding straw as part of the ration is that is so low in minerals and the fiber can be effective in forming the rumen mat. Straw is the dilution factor when you only have 'milk cow' forages to feed your dry cows. Balance the ration well and these types of fixes won't be needed.

Re: MILK FEVER

Given the author's credentials and support, unless you can show me a study or reserach to back up the potassium claim, I'm going to believe the calcium claim. Thank you for your input though. "isaiah7_25" wrote:High potassium is the main culprit in milk fever. Feeding lowPotassium hay before birth will help. Cheyenne"This excess calcium sets off a "chain reaction" causing calcium to be deposited into her bones when her body needs to be releasing it for use in milk production. Simply put, Milk Fever is a failure of the body's system to activate calcium mobilization and not a deficiency of calcium reserves."

[Guest guest]

Type " potassium milk fever " in google and take your pick. The info

is everywhere. It took many years for conventional ag to figure it

out. They bantied the high calcium thing while many of us in the

natural organic circles knew potasium was the problem.

This proves the stupidity of separating soil science from animal

nutrition. The soil man says pour on the potasium and calcium is of no

consequence while the nutritionist tries to figure out how to deal

with excess potasium in the feed. Neither has a clue of the importance

of the other. Farming is a whole not little pieces. Balanced soil =

healthy plants = healthy animals.

You can believe credentials all you want. I prefer common sense and

reality. I have little time for the alphebet soup crowd. They have

been responsible for selling most of the lies conventional ag now

follows. Modern ag loves to push alfalfa and potasium. Calcium is the

missing componant. Now potasium levels are sky high and the plants are

so out of balance the animals are suffering terribly.

In the biologic circles we want potasium at or below 2% and calcium

over 2% with sulfur and good trace levels. The " experts " have gotten

hay in the 3% to 4% K range and they could care less about Ca.

Cheyenne

>

> Given the author's credentials and support, unless you can show me a

> study or reserach to back up the potassium claim, I'm going to believe

> the calcium claim. Thank you for your input though.

>

[Guest guest]

Considering how many dairies you worked in Charity I would think you saw

this condition manifest. Were there dairies that had a dry cow protocal

that helped or eliminated its occurence? Over the last five years we have

had a lot of experience with this condition, not experience I was hoping to

get, with our Jerseys and goats. Never had a goat go down but had them look

like they were thinking about it. The Merk Manual says that all Jerseys are

prone to a low blood calcium level at calving but not all go clinical. You

watch their eyes and you can see it. Our vet explains that there is a gland

that has to kick into action to enable the cow to draw calcium from her

bones and not depend on just feed. We have found it isn't an issue till the

third lactation of cows. The only time we had an issue with our goats was

the year that we had Floppy Kid Syndrome terrible. Again this is calcium

metabolism that is thought to be involved. There are a few Jersey dairies

that have managed to eliminate this issue with their cows but with only two

it is hard to feed them totally separate from the rest. Apparently

according to one Dairy Vet Manual I read this is a man made problem. In

developing countries it doesn't occur.

Debbie Chikousky

Manitoba, Canada

gdchik@...

http://www.winnipegbeach.com/chikouskyfarms/

[Guest guest]

This is very interesting to me Debbie, Last year,,I had bougth a high producing dairy doe,, she has twins,,one was a buck, he died at birth,,the other,,a little doe,,went down with floppy about a week later and we lost her as well,,Up until this time,,we have never lost a kid to floppy,,I actually had no idea what was up with her untill she went down. What can I do,,to prevent this from happening again with this doe. I milked her about 6lbs a day, to reduce the amount of milk she was making,,she was giving about 3qrts per milking and after about 2 months of this,,she slowed down alot,,I am hoping with this freshning that she will not do this again,,now She never got milk fever,, but I was wondering if there is a link btw,,high producers and floppy ?? in PA

[Guest guest]

,

What would an example of a low Potassium hay be? I am assuming not alfalfa? Our dry cows get a grass hay, no alfalfa and I still have issues when a cow get to her third or fourth lactation. I do feed grain but not lots. About 6 pounds a day to a heifer that is milking 40ish pounds a day right now and it is -36C with a windchill. She is inside and eating piles of hay too.

Debbie ChikouskyManitoba, Canadagdchik@...http://www.winnipegbeach.com/chikouskyfarms/

[Guest guest]

Even grass hay can have too much potasium. If it gets lots of

manure or K fertilizer or if the other minerals are missing on run

down soil the plants can still have too much K. When we first bought

our farm it was pretty well depleted, but the potasium levels would

still come back too high. I have never yet added any K fertilizer as

I'm trying to build the calcium, phosphorous, and trace minerals.

Alfalfa is usually the culprit as it will pull up extra K if the

calcium is missing. Alfalfa feeds on K like hybred corn feeds on N.

Both get big and pretty, but aren't worth feeding. This is why it is

so important to measure quality, not just yield.

It is best to keep K levels at 2% or below for dry cows. We seldom

ever have milk fever anymore. In the last 10 years we've had about 12

cases of milk fever with an average of 50+ cows. Many of those cows

are 8 to 12 years old. I've also fed free choice kelp for most of

those years and that may help too as it has such available nutrients.

Cheyenne

>

> ,

> What would an example of a low Potassium hay be?

>

[Guest guest]

Here is an article I wrote for Dairy Goat Journal a couple of years

ago. While it deals with milk fever in goats, the same things are

just as true in any other species- cow or sheep.

Parturient paresis, milk fever, hypocalcemia

By Donna R. Myers-Raybon

Safehavennubians@...

COPYWRITE 2004

Always consult your veterinarian prior to treatment. The

information contained in this article is not meant in any way as a

substitute to consulting your veterinarian.

Chiefly known to change mentation (personality becomes hyper

excitable and then depressed), ability to move (paresis is another

name for gradual paralysis), and will eventually cause circulatory

collapse. At time of kidding you will see a decrease in available

calcium © and phosphorus (P) in the blood, and an increase in

magnesium (Mg).

Stages and symptoms

Three distinct stages can be documented, however many times the

first signs are missed and the doe is well into Stage II or even

Stage III before diagnosis is made. Sometimes onset is slow and

sometimes doe can progress quickly from Stage I into Stage III in a

matter of a few hours.

Stage I- Doe is able to stand and walk around but

gait will be stilted/stiff. Nervousness is noted with sometimes

trembling, twitching and head bobbing seen. May see head pressing

and hear her grinding her teeth, too. While standing doe may shuffle

her rear feet. She will cry and it will sound distressed and

abnormal. She may still pick at her food and may sip water,

but 'normal' appetite is noticeably lacking. Ruminations are very

slow, but still detectable. Cudding has usually ceased. This is by

far the BEST stage to diagnose and treat, as chance of success is

much higher of her surviving! See later information about chronic

and acute forms of milk fever.

.. AT SOME POINT IN TRANSITION FROM STAGE I TO STAGE II THE SWALLOW

REFLEX WILL BE LOST! What that means is if you give ANYTHING by

mouth the doe may inhale it. This leads to a kind of pneumonia which

is almost always is fatal! So, anytime you suspect milk fever, even

in early stages, always act as if goat cannot swallow and tube or

give medications by injections! I can't emphasize this enough.

Stage II- Doe is unable to stand (may be able to

arise with slight assistance, but will immediately lay back down.)

Sternally recumbent (lays on her breastbone like a goat normally will

do) but has a very glazed look to her eyes (looks quite stunned.)

Definitely has lost the ability to swallow and you will see doe

beginning to bloat! She won't be eating, drinking or cudding.

Ruminations are VERY noticeably lacking! Milk will be leaking from

orifices and you need to spray/dip often to prevent mastitis later.

Muzzle will be dry, extremities will be cold and rectal body

temperature will be sub normal. Later, you may notice drooling and

nose running due to inability to swallow. The low body temperature

can have DIRE consequences to the rumen bacteria that will die off

fast if body temperature dips below 101*F for very long at all. Doe

can't pee or poop at all. You will start to see doe 'star gaze' and

she may lay with her head tucked tight into her flank.

Stage III- Doe is down, flat out and unable to lie

upon her sternum (breastbone) as a normal goat would rest. She will

be unresponsive to stimuli, including pain, or even comatose.

Bloating begins to be severe and life threatening. Muscles are

totally flaccid. More than likely she will be dead in a matter of

only a couple of hours if something is not done in a hurry to treat

her. You need to get her back up on her sternum using hay bales to

pack around her. Lay her head on a hay bale so that it is not laying

on the ground.

Treatment

Once you have one case of milk fever always consider the rest of

the doe herd to be at high risk of having problems due to fact this

is a management disease. Often times if care is taken to reformulate

rations of at risk animals and use preventative measures later cases

of milk fever may be avoided.

Stage I can be treated by giving doe a source of calcium

orally. I much prefer something like Tums to any of the gel calcium

available. A goat needs one gram of calcium per one hundred pounds

of body weight. That will be about five Tums per one hundred pounds

of body weight. The gels are VERY caustic and can be easily

inhaled. They can also cause rumen acidosis, which only adds to your

problems. Give a doe about a dozen Tums, most will eat them quite

readily. If they won't then crush them up and use the dry barrel of

a syringe to pour them on the back of the goat's tongue. MAKE

CERTAIN SHE STILL HAS HER SWALLOW REFLEX INTACT! Repeat dosage of

four Tums every eight to twelve hours for two days (to prevent a

relapse) and then drop down to just four Tums a day for another three

to four days. NOTE- you can start treatment several days prior to

kidding by giving about four Tums a day to prevent milk fever.

If you use the calcium gels that are formulated for dairy cows

I strongly suggest tubing the goat using a large dog esophageal tube

and something to prevent her biting the tube in two. I use a piece of

oak dowel drilled and fitted so that I can tie it in a goat's mouth

like a horse's bit and bridle. Dose is about 1/10 of what is labeled

for a cow. The calcium propionate is not caustic, but harder to

find to purchase. Any gel with calcium chloride in it is going to

be very caustic!

Stage II & III- Safest thing to use is Cal Dextrose II at a

rate of 100 cc divided up into 10 doses of 10 cc each given low down

along the rib cage. I have seen a doe very close to being in Stage

III get up and start to pee, poop, and burp before I got all 100 cc

into her. NEVER LET ANYONE GIVE A GOAT CALCIUM IV UNLESS HEART IS

BEING MONITORED VERY CAREFULLY! Calcium will stop their heart if

given too fast! Giving the Cal Dextrose II by sub Q injection

decreases the risk to almost zero and it is almost as quick to be

effective!

Risk of relapse is very high over the following 72 hours after

initial treatment. Once animal has had milk leaking the risk of

mastitis is very high, too! Monitor closely for respiratory

problems as an after effect. I strongly suggest taking doe's rectal

temperature once a day for at least ten days following episode of

milk fever.

All three stages will also benefit from being treated with

injectable B complex, B12 and banamine (especially if suffering from

stage II or III.) Once the swallow reflex is determined to be normal

it is also of great benefit to give Probios several times a day in

order to prevent rumen upset.

Differential diagnosis

Always use universal precautions and act as if whatever the

goat is suffering from could be deadly to you and your family. You

need to rule out- rabies, listeriosis, copper toxicity, lead

poisoning, toxic mastitis, toxic metritis, parasite overload,

pneumonia, and injury.

Prevention is much the better part of the cure!

A little bit of chemistry to try to make the cause and the

prevention of milk fever a bit clearer. Cation carries a positive

charge and migrates to the cathode in solution. Anion carries a

negative charge and migrates to the anode in solution. Everything is

made of the basic chemical elements and what we are interest in for a

goat's ration as it affects prevention of milk fever are sodium Na,

potassium K (both carry a positive charge) and chlorine Cl, and

sulfur S (both of which carry a negative charge.) In 'balancing'

the ration for cation/anion difference you want the number to come

out to be less than one. In other words you take the amount of

sodium and potassium and add it up. Then take the amount of

chlorine and sulfur and add that up. Using the following formula,

you want it to come out to be a number less than one.

Na + K divided by Cl + S. OK, that's way, way, WAY too much

chemistry and math for me!!

The practical applications are to understand that some

foodstuffs contain too much sodium and potassium! This includes some

plants (like red root pig weed, also called 'rough' pigweed because

it has +2 inch long thorns!), all first cutting hay, all alfalfa hay,

and all hay that has been heavily manured less than six months

previous to harvest. You want to eliminate these foodstuffs from

the diet at least six weeks prior to kidding. You want to use a

second or later cutting of good grass hay to feed your does once they

are about six weeks away from freshening.

Taking away as many sources of sodium (loose mineral mix and sodium

bicarbonate also known as baking soda) the last two weeks of

gestation will help prevent milk fever, too.

Sometimes, due to forces beyond our control we are forced to

use foodstuffs we know could put our doe at risk of milk fever. For

example, some years you do good to get ANY hay at all and first

cutting is your only available hay. In order to reduce risk of milk

fever you can add anionic salts (ammonium chloride, magnesium sulfate

also called Epsom salt) to the ration starting about last month of

gestation. Problem is that anionic salts are very bitter and hard

to get goat to eat them willingly. In Tennessee there is a feed

that the Tennessee Farmer's Coop makes called Goat Decoxx item

#93840, which is a 16% protein pellet with decoxx and ammonium

chloride already in it.

In cattle it has been reported that use of Vitamin D greatly

reduces rate of clinical milk fever. However toxicity can be a

problem, so be careful how you dose and how often. Probably should

be used the last three weeks of gestation. Available as an

injection and also in an oral form called which is soy-based oil with

Vitamin A, D, and E added, often called 'Wheat Germ Blend.'

Now some practical stuff about milk fever. You can have milk

fever occur in chronic or acute form. The chronic form may be

totally missed with doe being slow to progress to active labor even

when kids are properly presented. Also, being slow to clean (shed

afterbirth) and poor appetite after kidding are symptoms of chronic

milk fever. Acute milk fever is much more easy to recognize as you

will have a doe down with Stage II or Stage III symptoms.

I feel very strongly that if I have a doe who I know has been

supplemented with selenium/vitamin E adequately and the kid is in

proper birth position and alive, yet doe is slow to progress in labor

and with weak or absent strong contractions she is probably suffering

chronic milk fever. I would treat by giving her 60 cc of Calcium

Dextrose II and expect her to end up with full-blown milk fever over

the next couple of days. Giving her Tums would be a good idea! If

it was chronic milk fever you will see very strong contractions

beginning just minutes after you give the Cal Dextrose II.