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Further Studies on the Influence of Dietary Calcium and Phosphorus on the Incidence of Milk Fever

Department of Animal Husbandry, University of California, Davis

ABSTRACT

Previous studies have indicated that low-calcium high-phosphorus prepartal diets will lower the incidence of milk fever (parturient paresis) in dairy cattle. It was suggested that such diets exert their effect by causing parathyroid stimulation, thus providing sufficient calcium mobilizing hormone to avert the drop of blood calcium resulting from the initiation of lactation (1).

Since the diets used in this study were somewhat unpalatable and did not furnish sufficient nutrients for desired weight gains before parturition, attempts have been made to find rations which will correct these deficiencies and still prevent milk fever. This paper presents the data obtained from milk fever susceptible cows fed such prepartal rations under field trial conditions.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

The animals used in this study were from three high producing herds of Jersey cattle. Approximately one month before the expected calving date, cows that were believed susceptible to milk fever and had calved at least twice previously were held in dry lots and fed the experimental rations individually in stanchions.