Clinical and biochemical responses to the treatment of milk fever
Mullen, P.A.
Veterinary Record 97(05): 87-92
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-4900 PMID: 1154631 Document Number: 91213
Blood was taken before and 24 h after treatment of 186 cows with parturient paresis in 80 herds in 5 counties of England. Treatment was by intravenous injection, either the usual 400 ml solution with Ca 12.36 g as borogluconate, or 100 ml with calcium gluconate 16.7, calcium lactate 11.6, calcium formate 16.5 and magnesium aspartate 8.2 g, having Ca 8 g and Mg 500 mg. A single injection cured 75% of the cows, with no significant difference between treatments. Response was quicker to Ca and Mg than to Ca alone. There were 72% with no previous history of paresis; for 28% it was their 5th calving. The disorder was unlikely to recur with each succeeding calving. No particular breed was susceptible and there was no relation between severity of clinical signs and blood inorganic P concentration. Incidence was greatest in September, with a lesser peak in June. Farmers reported 915 cases among 10 401 cows in the previous year, 1971, an incidence of 8.79%. That is higher than had been reported (Leech et al., NAR 31, 3320), either because veterinary surgeons are not told of all cases or because the incidence had risen since 1960.