Cases of milk fever have been quite common this autumn. Milk fever is a calcium deficiency triggered by the increased secretion of calcium as a result of the production of colostrum and milk in the first days of lactation.
The sudden decrease in calcium levels affect the strength of muscle contractions and the cow may initially be unsteady on her feet but eventually she will go down completely.
Prevention is the preferred option as for every case of clinical milk fever up to five cows may have subclinical milk fever and associated decreased muscle contraction.
This can possibly lead to left displacement of the abomasum, it may also cause uterine contraction after calving to be delayed resulting in womb infections and retained afterbirth and eventually sub-fertility.
Treatment of this case involved giving IV calcium together with an oral bolus of calcium.
A second bottle of calcium was given under the skin for a prolonged release. The response to treatment of this cow was excellent and she was up and about looking for her calf within 10 minutes after treatment.
Frank O’Sullivan works in Patrick Farrelly & Partners Veterinary Practice in Co. Meath. The UCD graduate is also a member of Animal Health Ireland’s Technical Working Group and is the current Chair of the One Health Committee with Veterinary Ireland.
Treating a cow with milk fever