The Bovine Bugle

Cold ears? In new mom cows, it could mean milk fever

After a recent blog about treating some fresh cows for milk fever, my blog editor thought a brief explanation of the illness and of the treatment used for it might be beneficial to you, the readers. The information I will give you is from the book, The Treatment of Cattle by Homoeopathy, by George Macleod.

Milk fever, or parturient hypocalcaemia, is an illness that can occur at the onset of lactation in dairy cows (when a calf is born). The cause is a reduction in the level of calcium in the cow's system. This drop in the level of calcium is often due to the demands made on the cow's reserves by the sudden onset of milk production after calving. The onset of symptoms usually occurs within 72 hours after calving. Common symptoms are restlessness, loss of appetite, unsteadiness, cold ears, and finally becoming unable to stand up. Untreated, the cow may go into a coma and die.

The age of the cow, the time of year the cow calves, how heavy a producer the cow is, and the quality of the feed the cow is getting are all factors in determining if a cow is at risk of having milk fever. On our farm, the cows that calve in early spring and late in the fall are more apt to have milk fever than our cows that calve during the summer. Also, older cows are more prone to the illness than younger cows. And Jerseys, the breed of cows we have on our farm, are more apt to have milk fever than other breeds of dairy cows.

The treatment is usually very simple. I will give a cow an intravenous or subcutaneous injection of calcium or calcium and minerals. This alleviates the symptoms, makes the cow feel better, and gets her eating and drinking normally. Calcium gluconate and calcium with dextrose, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium are the two products I use for injections. They are both approved for use on organic dairy farms. I will usually give 1-2 500ml bottles to an animal at time. I do the treatments myself since the illness is easy to diagnose, and if I do it the cost is about $5-$10 per treatment. If I had a vet come and do it, it would cost me $50-60 at least.

Along with the traditional treatment of the illness, addition of selected homeopathic remedies can reduce the risk of relapse and prevent complications of the nervous system. Weekly administration of two remedies for several weeks prior to calving can also help prevent cows from getting milk fever.

--Jonathan, Howmars Farm
Franklin, Vermont

Got a question for Jonathan? Use the comment box below. We'll call him in from the barn to give you an answer.

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Posted by Blogger Chris at April 5, 2005 05:35 PM