Milk Fever (Parturient Paresis) and Its Economic Impact in Dairy Cattle Production - Abstract
Milk fever (parturient paresis) is a metabolic disturbance or production disease of
dairy cows that occur just before or soon after calving due to low calcium (Ca++) level (hypocalcaemia) in the blood. It is associated with the drain of calcium within the fetus and milk during pregnancy and calving, respectively. It can be clinical or sub-clinical based on clinical signs. High producing dairy cows are the most susceptible to milk fever during the peri-parturient period. Milk yield, parity, age, breed, Body Condition Score (BCS), and diet composition of the cows are the most common factors that contribute for the occurrence, incidence and severity of milk fever. Economically, it reduces milk yield and fertility that leads to culling of high producing dairy cows from a herd. Diagnosis of milk fever is based on history taking, clinical examination and laboratory diagnosis. It is commonly treated with oral calcium solutions and intravenous (IV) calcium borogluconate. Prevention of milk fever is economically important to the dairy producers to minimize production losses, death losses and veterinary costs associated with the disease. Multiple strategies have been utilized to prevent hypocalcaemia including feeding anionic salts, low calcium ion diets, vitamin D supplementation, dietary magnesium supplementation, and managing the body condition score of cows during the peri-partum period. Hence, prevention of milk fever is the key to reduce the economic impacts of the diseases in dairy industry.