Milk fever is a disease that cows get after they calve (have a baby). It goes by a lot of other names but milk fever is what it is commonly known as. Basically what happens is because the cow (most often a dairy cow, but it can happen in beef cows, too) is suddenly producing so much milk, there isn't enough calcium for normal body functions. Some signs are nervousness, anorexia and muscle twitches. Often the cow is recumbent (lying down). There are different stages and severities to the disease.
So to explain the physiology of this disease, imagine the cow as a bank account. In this bank account there is money-which would be calcium. Its stored in bones mostly. Everyday, this money is being used for routine stuff-nerve functions, muscle contraction, etc. Those would be like buying food, gas, paying the bills, etc.
When the cow calves, she suddenly has to make a huge volume of milk. Like owing a huge gambling debt to the mafia. All of her money (calcium) has to go toward that debt (lactation/milk). She can no longer pay her everyday bills (nerve and muscle functions). Even though she's getting a huge paycheck (calcium in the feed), she doesn't know how to use it wisely and instead of being used for bills or saved away (in the bones), it all gets poured into the mafia debt as well (milk). The gas and electricity get turned off which would be like the signs of the disease.
So how do you prevent that? A low calcium diet is fed when the cow isn't making milk. Its like getting a very small paycheck. The cow has to figure out how to use the calcium (money) she is getting wisely. She can use it for bills (normal body functions) when she has it. Then when that gambling debt comes calling (lactation) she also gets a pay raise (a higher calcium diet). But she knows how to manage her money (calcium) wisely now. The calcium (money) in her account (body) and her paycheck (feed) is both being used for body functions (everyday bills) and for that nasty gambling debt (lactation).
If the cow comes down with milk fever anyway (or because there was no prevention) (i.e. can't pay its bills), it can be corrected in part by giving subQ or IV calcium-like getting a loan from a friend. This may be enough, maybe not-it just depends on how severe the problem is.
And now you know about milk fever in cows.
[EDIT-Originally published to Blogger on October 3, 2011.]
So to explain the physiology of this disease, imagine the cow as a bank account. In this bank account there is money-which would be calcium. Its stored in bones mostly. Everyday, this money is being used for routine stuff-nerve functions, muscle contraction, etc. Those would be like buying food, gas, paying the bills, etc.
When the cow calves, she suddenly has to make a huge volume of milk. Like owing a huge gambling debt to the mafia. All of her money (calcium) has to go toward that debt (lactation/milk). She can no longer pay her everyday bills (nerve and muscle functions). Even though she's getting a huge paycheck (calcium in the feed), she doesn't know how to use it wisely and instead of being used for bills or saved away (in the bones), it all gets poured into the mafia debt as well (milk). The gas and electricity get turned off which would be like the signs of the disease.
So how do you prevent that? A low calcium diet is fed when the cow isn't making milk. Its like getting a very small paycheck. The cow has to figure out how to use the calcium (money) she is getting wisely. She can use it for bills (normal body functions) when she has it. Then when that gambling debt comes calling (lactation) she also gets a pay raise (a higher calcium diet). But she knows how to manage her money (calcium) wisely now. The calcium (money) in her account (body) and her paycheck (feed) is both being used for body functions (everyday bills) and for that nasty gambling debt (lactation).
If the cow comes down with milk fever anyway (or because there was no prevention) (i.e. can't pay its bills), it can be corrected in part by giving subQ or IV calcium-like getting a loan from a friend. This may be enough, maybe not-it just depends on how severe the problem is.
And now you know about milk fever in cows.
[EDIT-Originally published to Blogger on October 3, 2011.]
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