? for a friend - Milk Fever?

[mitch2]

Friend has a dairy and majority are holsteins, small dairy of approx 15 milking. He usually has 4 to 5 cases of Milk fever a year. I am not a dairy person, but is this normal? I am just curious here...and what % is considered normal occurrence?

Ok, now he switched feed supplements, which was exact in protein, minerals, etc as old supplement. But since the switch, almost every cow is coming down with milk fever.

Does anyone have ideas? Is he missing something?

And what are the options for treatment? He always has the vet out, which gives XXX? in the vein, and another sub-q. He has no problem giving the sub-q, but he has seen even a vet, kill a cow with the IV, so he wants no part of it.

Sorry, if I have left some holes, but I and him are very curious. I have no personal experience, but I told him about this site, and would let him know of any and all info to help him out.

I appreciate, as I always do, everyones experience/opinion.

Thanks!

Michele

 

[KNERSIE]

milk fever is caused by a calcium deficiency (or imbalance) caused by heavy milking (which takes a large amount of calcium) shortly after calving.

It is feed related and holsteins are especially proned to milk fever and although I have heard a theory from a local dairy farmer on how to prevent it through feeding, I don't think its scientific enough to post it here.

giving the calcium IV isn't that hard at all and as long as you're carefull by not injected air into the jugular vein the risk of death through giving IV calcium is certainly far less than from the milk fever. Although it would take much longer to really work and get the cow up again and certainly looks terrible, you can give the calcium in a series of SQ shots, I have seen a neighbour who couldn't find the vein do that on the vet's advice and although it took much longer to get a response after the shots it did work.

pm me if you want to hear the neighbour's theory

 

[dun]

It's not normal. Dairys milking a lot more head rarely have more then 1 maybe 2 cases a year, most don;t have any. He needs a nutritionalist to look at his feed program/managment

 

[kyblockhead]

Milk fever isn't too common but my experience was that jerseys had more issues with milk fever than holsteins. It is an issue with the inability for a cow to mobilize adequate calcium into the bloodstream at freshening. Usually the dairy cow will receive a mineral supplement that is low in calcium during the drying off period which forces her to mobilize calcium from her bones which helps prepare her for milk production. Calcium and phosphorus are critical to be balanced in both quantity and ratio when dealing with dairy rations.

 

[TexasBred]

Ky, right on. Milk fever most often is a result of a poor dry cow program. Excess salt, calcium and potassium are fed during this period and once the cow calves huge amounts are pulled from the bloodstream rather than from the bone resulting in deficiencies. Your friend definitely needs a "dry cow feeding program". He also needs a vet that knows that allowing IV's to flow into the vein too rapidly can cause death almost instantly. Tell him to get rid of the big needle that comes with the IV set and replace it with an 18 gauge needle. These needles are much sharper for easier insertion and also will slow down the flow of fluids into the vein. If he can't find the vein in the neck use the milk vein running along the stomach. Sub Q is not much good when a cow is literally dieing. She can't wait that long.

 

[milkmaid]

You'll be there all day if you wait for 1-2 500mL bottles of fluid to flow through a 18 gauge needle. Boss (and therefore, I) always used a 16 gauge and never lost a cow to it. And you do use a new needle for each cow you IV.

FWIW, when I asked my vet about the chance of killing a cow with a calcium IV, he said that he's given up to 6 bottles without killing the cow. Granted, I'm sure that cow was initally pretty close to death for him to feel she needed that much. The key is just to watch the cow and not give it too fast.

Also FWIW, one does not have to worry about air in the vein with cattle. For humans, yes, it's a big deal, but not with cows. That comes per my vet.

 

[TexasBred]

Milkmaid, it's not the total volume of liquid you administer to the cow that kills but rather the speed that the fluid is administered. Never killed one myself but know many that have. If anyone plans to use that big needle that comes with the IV set they need to at least pinch it off from time to time. I still like the 18 gauge needle since she's not going anywhere real soon anyway. lol. But a 16 is great too. Hopefully this fellow will get him a good dry cow program together and won't need to give any IV's. Milk fever should be a rare thing on a well managed dairy.

 

[rkm]

I have seen cows die from calcium flowing to fast, but you need to use the larger needle. You can control how fast it flows by lifting or lowering the cacium bottle. Our vet sometimes listened the cows heart as he gave a iv of calcium.

 

[Ryder]

I have seen cows die from calcium flowing to fast, but you need to use the larger needle. You can control how fast it flows by lifting or lowering the cacium bottle. Our vet sometimes listened the cows heart as he gave a iv of calcium.

rkm is right about raising/lowering bottle. Have given a lot of it and never killed one yet. Just have to be careful not to give it too fast.
This is one of those things a dairyman needs to be able to do themself.

Others that posted are right. Nutrition wrong somewhere with that many cases.

 

[hillsdown]

I have seen cows die from calcium flowing to fast, but you need to use the larger needle. You can control how fast it flows by lifting or lowering the cacium bottle. Our vet sometimes listened the cows heart as he gave a iv of calcium.

Exactly .I have never mastered the vein in the neck so always use the milk vein,and NEVER go out without your stethoscope.

FWIW I have seen an arrogant know it all young Vet kill a cow in a matter of minutes while doing this procedure so it definitely does happen if you don't know what the be nice you are doing.

 

[cowlady1]

The protein is to high for mineral intake. Calcium, magnesium is to low. If it's not in the feed your vet will be their every day. You need to get a balance in that feed. Hay should be checked to see whats missing as well as other forges. It would be a good place to start. The second cut hay I got is really messed up. I can't feed any to my feeders thats jeresy or jeresy-X I've had 1 die & put magnesium into the rest. The ones treated are alive but I can't feed that hay to them. I'm using 1st cut& alfalfa cubes on them they seem to be doing okay with that. Holsteins can handle the 2nd cut hay on 2 of 1st/1 of 2nd cut ratio.I'm hoping this hay will get better with age. I bought this hay & it wasn't made like it should have been. To early was 1 problem. To dry when cut was another set of problems.This can happen from 1 field to another differences.

 

[mitch2]

OK, I am dumb here, either I am reading things incorrectly, or I totally am unable to comprehend this subject.

In the drying off period, especially the last couple/three weeks before calving protocol should be:

A) Decrease specific minerals such as calcium, salt and potassium and increase magnesium.

B) Increase specific minerals such as calcium salt and potassium and decrease magnesium.

Is either A or B correct? And the reason for either A or B is because at birth you WANT to draw calcium from the bones and not from the blood? Because if the animal draws the calcium from the blood this is what causes the milk fever....

Michele

 

[cowlady1]

Your answer is B. Another way you can slow down milk fever.Don't take out all the milk the first 2 milkings. The cow will pull it out of her own system-calcium.Don't be to low on magnesium she could get grass tetany even from stored feeds. When you don't take out all the milk you save alot of time money & effort. I milked cows for my dad & 2 other farmers. I dropped thier milk fever expense a way down by not taking out all the milk for 2 milkings. you leave some not alot. Hope this helps.It always worked for me.