Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases

 Milk Fever Also called:  Hypocalcemia  Parturient paresis  Downer cow syndrome Non-febrile Affects:  Dairy, beef, sheep, goats

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Caused by:  Acute deficiency of Ca Results in:  Paralysis  Circulatory collapse  Coma  Death 6% incidence rate in dairy cattle Occurs within 24 hrs of calving

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Incidence increases with milk production and age Some susceptibility differences between dairy breeds Sub clinical hypocalcemia rates can affect 50% of dairy cows  Leads to: Decreased DMI Ketosis RP’s DA’s Decreased reproductive efficiency Decreased milk production in that lactation

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Rare in beef cattle Goats – similar incidence rate to dairy Cause  Initiation of lactation causes severe outflow of Ca  Ca interacts with other minerals in the blood Incidence may be influenced by levels of:  Mg, K, P, estrogen levels,  Acid-base balance Can either help cow adjust and mobilize Ca, or can inhibit parathyroid glands and renal synthesis of Vit D which restricts blood Ca levels

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases  Feeding high Ca diets prior to parturition Cow doesn’t adapt to mobilizing own Ca reserves Clinical Signs  Stage I Hypertensive, weakness, anorexic, hypersensitive  Stage II Flaccid paralysis, lying on sternum, depression, small muscle tremors, low body temp, cold extremities, muffled heart beat, bloat, dilated pupils  Stage III Lying on side, comatose

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Treatment  Stage I Oral or IV Ca salts  Oral gels can absorb into the blood in ~15 min  Oral treatment allows for higher Ca dosage  May help prevent relapse  Stages II & III Must treat w/ IV Ca  Administer slowly over period of 10 min  May require subsequent treatments  Should respond w/in 30 min of treatment and be standing

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Prevention  Good nutritional management practices in the preparturient period  Acidification of the diet  Ketosis Occurs in gestating or lactating cattle Most frequently happens in first 6 wks after calving Very often affects first-calf heifers, or older cows

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Excessive amounts of ketone bodies found in urine, blood, milk Also called:  Acetonemia, hypoglycemia Similar to pregnancy disease in ewes Cause  Nutritional origin characterized by low blood sugar  Occurs when intake or the nutrition provided doesn’t meet requirements of the animal Animal mobilizes its own fat reserves

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Can be handled for brief periods, but excessive time spent mobilizing own fat reserves results in ketosis  Can use a Keto Stick to test urine for ketone bodies Clinical Signs  Rapid weight loss  Loss of appetite  Acetone smell on the breath  Nervousness

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Prevention  Avoid excessively fat cows at calving  Increase concentrate levels gradually after calving  Avoid abrupt forage changes  Feed high quality hay  Maintain proper CP, min/vit levels  Focus on cow comfort Temp Clean, fresh bedding Good ventilation

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases  Feed 4 oz. propylene glycol  Introduce higher grain content in ration before parturition Treatment .5 – 1lb propylene glycol or sodium propionate daily for 5-10d Provide as a drench if the animal isn’t eating  IV glucose solution can also help  Sheep & goats – give 3-4 oz daily prior to parturition  Do not exceed 8 oz glycol in a treatment – increases the severity and cow mimics symptoms of milk fever

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases  Grass Tetany Occurs in cattle & sheep grazing on lush pastures Hypomagnesia (low blood Mg), sometimes accompanied by hypocalcemia High levels of N and K combine to inhibit Mg absorption Cause  Common in pastures early in the spring (within first 2- 3 weeks of grazing)

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases  Can occur later in season under specific weather conditions  Also happens when cows overgraze one field, then move to a new lush field  Small grain pastures increase incidence  Many stressors can trigger grass tetany Clinical Signs  Acute cases Caused by rapid drop in blood Mg levels Sudden deaths Drastic behavioral changes

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Run blindly, staggering, convulsions  Less acute cases Incoordination Loss of appetite Muscle spasms Extreme salivation 6-10 hrs from first symptoms to death, if left untreated  Little chance of recovery if not treated before the comatose state

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Prevention  Supplement Mg daily through high-risk period Crash feeding Mg after disease onset doesn’t help Start feeding 30d prior to help build up blood Mg levels Cows – 20 to 30g Mg/d Calves & ewes 4-8g High levels of K, P, Ca decrease Mg efficiency, so increase feeding rate to account for decreased absorption Treatment  Call vet immediately Success is limited after 8-12 hrs

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases  200cc of Epsom Salts (Mg Sulfate) SQ injection 50cc/site Increases blood Mg levels in 15 min  IV Mg/Ca solution must be administered slowly to prevent heart failure  Oral administration to sick animals not effective because of increased time of absorption into the blood  Water treatment Only for animals not down Will decrease water consumption

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases  Remove from problem causing pasture Supplement 30g Mg for 7-14d  Grass tetany cases will likely repeat  White Muscle Disease Can occur in calves, lambs, foals, pigs More common in areas where Se content in low in the soil Cause  Se deficiency - <.02 ppm Se intake/d

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Clinical Signs  Acute form Sudden death  Sub clinical form May only be seen by apparent unthriftyness  Lambs most often affected during first month  Stiffness, resistance to standing  No fever or loss of appetite  Calves affected from birth to 4 months  Foals – stiffness, resistance to nursing, lack of movement

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases  Pigs – 1-4 months of age Stiffness, muscle dysfunction  Post-mortem examination Pale, white streaks in skeletal muscle tissue Found in same muscles on both sides of the body Can also occur on the heart muscle Prevention  Feed dams rations with adequate amounts of Se & Vit E  Supplement at rate of.3 ppm

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases  Injections can help boost Se levels prior to parturition Treatment  IM injection of sodium selenite/vit E  Must be given by a vet  30d withdrawal  Hypoglycemia in Newborn Pigs Called baby pig disease, or 3 day pig disease Low blood sugar levels

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Cause  Pig’s inability to manufacture and use glucose in their body the first few days, or abnormality in the colostrum  Agalactia  Dysgalactia  Weak pigs pushed back from nursing  Inability or refusal to nurse due to mouth injury  Exposure to cold, damp environment increases glucose draw

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Clinical Signs  Lack of coordination  Shivering  Weakness  Hair stands on end  Inactivity  Convulsions  Subnormal temp, slowed heartbeat  Death in pigs untreated w/in hrs

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Prevention  Eliminate sows that are prone to MMA  Proper nutrition for the sow prior to farrowing  Warm, dry, draft-free environment  Don’t damage mouth when clipping needle teeth  Sows w/ low milk production Move pigs to another sow Milk replacer IM injections of glucose every 4-6 hrs

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Treatment  Supplemental feeding  Improve environment  Glucose injections  Parakeratosis in Swine Elephant hide appearance in feeder pigs Cause  Zn deficiency coupled w/ excess Ca supplementation

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Clinical Signs  Usually occurs in confinement during fall and winter  Pigs between 7 and 20 wks of age most susceptible  Skin becomes dry and crusty  Crust thickens and spread up underline, sides, around jowl, and ears  Crust will form rather symmetrically  Differs from mange due to little itching, rubbing, scratching

Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases Prevention  Proper feeding rates of Ca, Zn, and fat Treatment  Reduce Ca content in ration  Increase Zn level