Hypocalcemia, commonly referred to as milk fever, is a potentially fatal metabolic disease that occurs when a cow’s blood serum calcium drops to below normal levels. If not handled properly, a cow can go from healthy to dead in a matter of hours. Knowing the signs and best treatment practices for this condition could make all the difference when it comes to saving an animal’s life.
What To Look For
Milk fever can be divided into three stages based on severity.
Stage I milk fever, also known as subclinical hypocalcemia, is often hard to notice due to its short duration and broad set of symptoms. According to Virginia Ishler, an Extension Dairy Specialist at Pennsylvania State University, stage I will typically last less than an hour with symptoms such as a loss of appetite, hypersensitivity, weakness, weight shifting and shuffling of the hind feet.
By TAYLOR LEACH
June 20, 2019
dairyherd.com
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