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Lactation Tetany:

Syn: Grass Tetany, Hypomagnesemic Tetany, Grass Staggers, Wheat Pasture Poisoning

  • Highly fatal disease of all classes of ruminant and reaches highest incidence in lactating cows.
  • It is characterized by hypomagnesemia, hypocalcemia, muscular spasm, convulsion and death.

Epidemiology:

  • Species: cattle, buffalo, ewes and does are affected.
  • Calves affected at 2-4 months of age
  • 4-7 years’ age group is affected.
  • Mostly females are affected.
  • Usually occurs in cow in first 2 months of lactation and 1-4 weeks after lambing in ewes
  • High yielder cows are more prone to this disorder

Etiology:

  • Dietary deficiency of magnesium
  • Young green grasses are deficient in Mg and rich in K and N
  • Soil deficient in Mg- sandy soils are usually deficient in Mg
  • Heavy application of fertilizers like K,N also reduces Mg availability.
  • Diarrhea may lead to loss of Mg and decreased absorption of Mg
  • Mg absorption from rumen are low when potassium and nitrogen intakes are high.
  • Starvation for 24-48 hour
  • Increased demand of Mg for growth of fetus.

Clinical Finding:

Acute:

  • Animal may be found dead
  • Staggering gait
  • Sudden anorexia
  • Falling on ground
  • Unusual alertness
  • Grunting of teeth
  • Muscle twitching- prickling of eggs
  • Frothy mouth
  • Hyperesthesia, tetany
  • Opisthotonus and death

Sub-acute:

  • Walks stiffly
  • Hyper sensitive to touch and sound
  • Urinate and defecate frequently

Chronic form:

  • Dullness
  • Emaciation
  • Poor appetite
  • Decreased milk production

 

Treatment:

  • Pentobarbitone@ 3 mg/kg, 8-10 ml of 200 mg/ml solution for adult cow, IV
  • Intravenous administration of 40% calcium borogluconate + 25% magnesium sulphate for cattle, 50 mL for sheep.
  • Injection of MgSO4 @ 100-150 mL SC
  • Animal must be provided with concentrate/hay treated with 60g of Mg oxide daily to ensure adequate dietary intake and prevent relapse.
  • Daily oral supplement of Mg oxide; 60 g to cattle and 10g to sheep.
  • Dairy animal should be provided with comfortable shelter during winter.
  • Hay should be provided along with green.
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