At the recent Western Dairy Management Conference in Las Vegas we were pleased to hear a presentation about preventing diseases at or near calving from Dr. Jesse Goff of the National Animal Disease Center, Ames, Iowa. Since I agree with what he told us, I will focus on some of the highlights of his presentation.
Milk fever is associated with the sudden and large demand for calcium at the beginning of lactation.
To reduce the likelihood of milk fever we need to reduce the pH of the blood. Cl - , you need to employ a competent nutritional consultant. Preventing milk fever and hypocalcemia also significantly reduces the incidence of mastitis by not impairing smooth muscle contraction vital to closure of the teat sphincter after milking. Retained placentas should also be reduced if milk fever and hypocalcemia are prevented by allowing normal uterine contractions necessary for the expulsion of the placenta. A decline in plasma calcium concentration around calving decreases abomasal contractility, which is suspected to lead to atony and abomasal distension and thus an increase in the incidence of displaced abomasums.