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A Detailed Study of Levels of Certain Blood Constituents in Normally Calving Dairy Cows and in Dairy Cows with Parturient Paresis^{1, 2, 3,}

Department of Dairy Science, State College of Washington, Pullman

ABSTRACT

Considerable information is available in the scientific literature concerning the levels of organic and inorganic constituents in the blood of normal parturient dairy cows and of cows afflicted with parturient paresis (milk fever). It is well established that levels of many of these constituents change as a result of milk fever; however, how rapidly the changes occur prior to the appearance of symptoms is not known.

Increased blood levels of magnesium, lactic and pyruvic acids, and glucose and lowered blood citric acid have been reported in cows afflicted with parturient paresis (8, 14). The low blood levels of calcium and phosphorus in cows with this disorder have been recognized for many years.

One of the most detailed studies on levels of blood constituents in cows with milk fever was made by Pish (4). This study, as is true of nearly all studies of this type, was made during the posttreatment period when the cow was recovering from milk fever symptoms. This investigator reported increased blood glucose and lactose levels after insufflation therapy.

¹ Scientific Paper No. 1248, Washington Agricultural Experiment Stations, Pullman. Projects 920 and 1053.

² This investigation was supported in part by funds provided for biological and medical research by the State of Washington Initiative Measure No. 171.

³ These data were taken in part from a thesis presented by the senior author to the faculty of the State College of Washington in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science degree.