Association between subclinical hypocalcemia and postpartum health disorders in dairy cattle

In dairy cattle, parturition and the onset of lactation lowers blood calcium concentrations (hypocalcemia) that can result in a clinical (milk fever) or subclinical condition. Cows with milk fever have paresis and require prompt calcium treatment. In contrast, in the sub-clinical form of hypocalcemia (SCH) the lower blood calcium concentration does result in paresis but does affect smooth muscle function (Huber et al., 1981) and immune function affecting health (Risco et al., 1984, 1994; Martinez- Patino et al., 2012). Many dairy producers have adopted the practice of feeding acidogenic diets prepartum that has contributed to a notable reduction in the incidence of milk fever with an average reported of 2.4 % (Reinhardt et al., 2011). However, despite the application of these diets, the prevalence of subclinical hypocalcemia (SCH) remains at 25 and 47% in primiparous and multiparous cows, respectively ...