Milk fever

Milk fever is a deficiency of calcium in the blood of a cow. It usually occurs within 48 hours after calving, but an also become visible during or shortly after calving. Research shows that more than 10% of dairy cows get milk fever shortly before or shortly after calving. Dairy cows from the second lactation on are likely to suffer from it. Highly productive dairy cows are more vulnerable to milk fever than low-productive dairy cows. 

Visible and non-visible:
Visible milk fever is also referred to as clinical milk disease, which occurs in about 10% of dairy cows. Research shows that 77% of the cows get a sub-clinical form of milk fever. That is why more and more dairy farmers are switching to the preventive administration of calcium around calving. For more information regarding milk fever, click HERE.

Do not administer calcium intravenously
Clinical milk fever is rarely observed. Still, half of all cows that ever calved suffered from subclinical calcium deficiency. This subclinical calcium deficiency can only be detected with a blood test (serum sample 0-48 hours after calving, calcium <2.0 mmol/l).

Why is calcium important?
Calcium is important for the immune system, the contraction of the muscular system, the gastrointestinal tract and the uterus. Especially older cows are at greater risk of calcium deficiency.

Prevention
For prevention, extra calcium can be administered immediately after calving. The way of administering calcium plays an important role in terms of effectiveness. By intravenous (directly into the bloodstream) administration of calcium, the calcium level rises extremely and the body's regulatory mechanism of the cow is going to resist. It is possible this leads to calcium deficiency once again. Therefore only cows with clinical milk fever get extra calcium intravenously. 

For cows with sub-clinical milk fever an oral administration of calcium is better suited.
Source: Elite December 2016 / January 2017 page 34/35.
 
Our products which are suitable for oral administration:
 
Calbal Plus (liquid)
• Calbal Plus is a calcium formulation with: Magnesium, Cobalt, Phosphorus, Vit. D3, Niacin, Vit. B12.
 
Calcium bolus gold
• Calcium bolus with 60 grams of calcium propionate.
• In addition to providing readily available Calcium is also provides energy.
 
Fresh Cow Drink
• Fresh Cow Drink for an optimal start of lactation.
• Super tasty drink with energy, minerals and vitamins.
•  A combination of: calcium, sodium, zinc, whey powder, vegetable fat, dextrose, vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin C, vitamin E.