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ELLIOT BLOCK
Department of Animal Science
Macdonald College of McGill Univer'sity
Ste-Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada H9X 1C0
ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION
Twenty preparturient dairy cows were Research has elucidated various measures for
in a 2-yr switchover design to test effects prevention of hypocalcemic parturient paresis
of dietary ions on incidence of milk fever. (milk fever). These measures include manipu-
In yr 1, cows were blocked and assigned lating amounts and ratios o f calcium (Ca) and
randomly 45 days p r e p a r m m to one o f phosphorus (P) in the prepartum diet of cows
two diets; one diet contained an excess of (4, 6, 7, 15, 16, 19, 25, 27, 30, 38), feeding
anions, and the second diet contained an prepartum cows diets containing high or low
excess of cations. In yr 2, cows were alkalinity (10, 13, 14), and oral or parenteral
changed to the opposite diet. Both diets administration o f vitamin D or its metabolites
were equivalent for crude protein (11%), at specific times prepartum (17, 18, 20, 21, 22,
calcium (.65%), phosphorus (.25%), and 23, 26, 31, 34, 35, 36).
energy on a dry basis but differed for Problems exist with implementation of the
quantities of chlorine, sulfur, and sodium. various preventive measures. In some areas of
Both diets were chopped alfalfa hay, corn Quebec it is difficult to reduce amounts of Ca
silage, high moisture corn, and vitamin- or ratio of Ca to P fed to cows for several
mineral mix. Diets were available ad libi- reasons: inability to grow sufficient quantities
tum as complete rations. o f feeds, such as corn silage, for the entire herd;
There were no differences in dry mat- suitability of land for legume crops, which are
ter intake of the diets. Cows consuming high in Ca; and inability to add sufficient P
the anionic diet had no milk fever, b u t to lower the ratio of Ca to P due to palatability
cows consuming the canionic diet had when quantities of P are added to a ration.
47.4% incidence. Samples of blood plas- Although treatment with vitamin D and its
ma showed that cows consuming the ani- metabolites is effective for preventing milk
onic diet maintained calcium and phos- fever, timing of treatment in relation to actual
phorus through parturition, whereas cows calving date appears critical to efficacy of
consuming the cationic diet decreased in treatment. Retreatments with vitamin D and its
these minerals around calving. Hydroxy- metabolites are necessary if the calving date is
proline was higher for cows consuming mispredicted; however, vitamin D toxicity has
the anionic diet during the peripartal per- been reported (28). Acidification of the diet is
iod compared to cows consuming the efficacious in promoting bone mobilization in
cationic diet. Milk produced in the lac- rats (2, 3, 33); however, mineral acids can
tation subsequent to prepartum treat- present danger to the user.
ment was 6.8% less for cows offered the A possibility exists to prevent milk fever by
cationic diet. When milk production of increasing the quantity of acidogenic minerals
paretic and nonparetic cows offered the in prepartum diets in relation to the alkalogenic
cationic diet was compared, milk was re- minerals. Proposed was that alkali-alkalinity
duced 14% with milk fever. (anion-cation balance) of diets fed to cows
prepartum could be important for determining
Ca availability (11, 14, 29). Milk fever was
precipitated in 9 of 14 calvings from five Nor-
Received October 12, 1983.
1This research was supported entirely by the Con- wegian Red and White cows b y diets in the
sell des Recherches et Services Agricoles du Qu6bec, prepartum period that contained acids or that
Ministere de l'Agrieulture, des Pecheries et de l'Ali- contained excess anionic minerals in relation to
mentation. cationic minerals (11). However, diets offered
to these cows contained ingredients that are (SO4)3, .74% MgSO4, and .5% of mineral
atypical of North American dairy rations (i.e., premix formulated to provide an excess of C1
beets, formic acid treated silage, herring meal). and S relative to Na and K. Mineral premixes
Others (29) showed that excess anions in diets were formulated to meet nutrient requirements
for prepartum cows influence Ca absorption in the diets and to deliver excess cations or
only when these diets maintain a positive Ca anions. Ingredients in these premixes were
balance in the cow. NaC1, COC12, MnSO4, ZnO, FeSO4, KI, CaCO3,
Use of various combinations of ions in diets NaHCO3, NaCO3, CuSO4, ZnC12, Ca(IO3)2,
for poultry has affected ions in blood as well as and CaCI. The anion-cation balance of the diets
acid-base balance of blood (9, 24, 37). Ions was calculated and determined by using and
examined in most of the experiments were Na, manipulating quantities of Na, K, C1, and S in
K, C1, S, Mg, and P with emphasis on Na and C1. the rations. The equation for calculating anion-
My objective was to ascertain if diets com- cation balance was milliequivalents [(Na + K) --
monly fed in North America that are high in (C1 + S)]. Diets were formulated to meet
ratio of Ca to P can be fed to prepartum cows requirements of dry pregnant cows (32) except
without precipitating milk fever if the diets for Na, K, C1, S, Ca, and P; these minerals met
contain sufficient quantities of anions in or exceeded requirements of dry pregnant cows
relation to cations. Because anions are con- dependent upon the anion-cation balance of the
sidered acidogenic and cations alkalogenic, the ration and maintenance of a ratio of Ca to P of
hypothesized mode of action is that an excess 2.5 in both diets.
of acid-forming elements at times of Ca stress Cows assigned to each dietary treatment
will increase concentrations in blood either via received their respective rations beginning 45
increased intestinal absorption or bone mobili- days prepartum and continuing through par-
zation. turition. Dietary components were mixed and
offered as a complete ration once daily at 1000
MATERIALS AND METHODS
h. Animals were allowed ad libitum consump-
Twenty mature cows (12 Holstein and 8 tion to assure feed refusals were 10% of the
Ayrshire) with at least three previous records of original quantity of feed offered. Feed refusals
milk production and at least one record of high were obtained daily at 0900 h. After parturi-
milk production (>7,500 kg) were in a 2-yr tion cows entered the normal feeding and
switchover design to test if dietary anions and management program at the Macdonald College
cations influence incidence of hypocalcemic Farm Centre of McGill University. The ration
parturient paresis (milk fever). Cows were for cows in early lactation consisted of corn
assigned to 10 blocks of two cows each. Block- silage, legume-grass haylage, alfalfa hay, grain
ing was according to expected date of calving, mix, and supplements containing (dry basis)
breed, and milk production in the previous 17% crude protein, 1.63 Mcal/kg NE L (net
lactation. energy for lactation), .9% Ca, .6% P, and .7%
In the 1st yr of the trial, cows within each NaHCO3.
block were assigned to one of two dietary In the 2nd yr of the trial the same cows and
treatments for the prepartum period: a diet diets were used; however, cows were offered
containing an excess of cations relative to the dietary treatment opposite that offered in
anions (designated the cation diet), or a diet yr 1.
containing an excess of anions relative to Rations were sampled weekly, composited
cations (designated the anion diet). The cation into monthly samples, and frozen. Composite
diet contained (dry basis) 39% chopped alfalfa samples were analyzed for dry matter (DM) in a
hay, 57% corn silage, 2.5% high moisture ear vacuum oven at 60°C for 24 h; the oven-dried
corn, and 1.5% of mineral premix formulated samples then were analyzed for Kjeldahl
to provide an excess of Na and K relative nitrogen and Ca, P, Na, C1, and S by atomic
to C1 and S. The anion diet contained identical absorption spectrophotometry. Blood samples
quantities of chopped alfalfa and corn silage as were obtained from the jugular vein of each
the cation diet plus (dry basis) 1.7% high cow on days 30 ± 7, 20 -+ 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1
moisture ear corn, .23% CaC12, .86% AI2 prepartum, at parturition, and on days 1
TABLE 1. Nutrient composition of diets (dry basis) containing an excess of cations and anions that were offered
to cows beginning 45 days prepartum, a
SE X, SE
Crude protein, % 11.1 .15 11.0 .17
Net energy lactation, Mcal/kgb 1.37 1.33
Calcium, % .63 .02 .69 .03
Phosphorus, % .25 .03 .24 .03
Sodium, % .53 .03 .16 .02
Potassium, % 1.22 .09 1.22 .06
Chlorine, % .42 .01 .57 .02
Sulfur, % .15 .01 .56 .01
Anion-cation balance per kg
dry matterc +33.05 -12.85
acomposition based on 24 monthly composites of each ration are reported as averages except net energy,
calcium-phosphorus ratio, and anion-cation balance.
bNet energy calculated from tabular data (32).
Ccalculated as miUiequivalents [(Na + K) - (CI + S)] from nutrient analysis assuming the molecular weights
of 22.9, 39.1, 35.45, and 32.07 for Na, K, el, and S, respectively.
165.6, 57, and 20.4 g/day for cows offered the cation balances (Table 1), averages of daily
cation diet and 21.5, 163.6, 76.5, and 75.1 anion-cation balance of cows between treat-
g/day for cows offered the anion diet. Potas- ments within each year and in the overall
sium was constant in both diets at 1.22% of the analysis were different, i.e., highly positive for
total DM. Anion-cation balances per kilogram cows offered the cationic diet and highly
DM were calculated from mineral analyses negative for cows offered the anionic diet.
(Table 1) and were +33.05 and - 1 2 . 8 5 for Incidence of milk fever for cows offered the
cation and anion diets. cation diet was 5 of 10 (50%) in yr 1, 4 of 9
Table 2 contains results o f the trial. The (44.1%) in yr 2, and an overall incidence of
average age of cows in the trial was 7.2 yr. One 47.4% in the switchover analysis (Table 2).
cow died each year in the positive group; these Incidence of milk fever for cows offered the
deaths were attributable to milk fever. There- anion diet was nil. Milk fever occurred only in
fore, in yr 2, the remaining nine cows per Holstein cows. Both diets had ratios of Ca to P
treatment were used for analysis. Table 3 shows conducive to milk fever. Lactation records sub-
results for each year (analyzed for each year as sequent to the prepartum dietary treatments
randomized block design), overall results for yr i were lower (P<.05) for cows offered
(analyzed as a switchover design), and for cows the cation diet (high incidence of miIk fever)
fed the cation ration analyzed for paretic vs. than for cows offered the anion diet (no milk
nonparetic cows. Dietary treatments caused the fever) (Table 2). Although the trend was the
same results each year. Treatments had no same f o r y r 2, the difference was not significant.
effect on DM intake in any of the analyses. In the overall trial cows offered the cation diet
However, because diets had different anion- produced 6.8% less milk (P<.05) than cows
TABLE 2. Daily dry matter intake (DMI) as a percentage of body weight (% BW) and daily anion-cation balance
for the prepartum period, incidence of milk fever at parturition, and subsequent milk production (4% fat-
corrected) for cows offered diets prepartum with an excess of cations and anions.
Milk
DMI Anion-cation Incidence of production
No. cows Ration % BW balance a milk fever (%) (kg/305 days)
Year 1
10 Cation 1.87 +450.1 50 6585 b
10 Anion 1.78 --168.7 0 7203 c
SE .067 47.8
Year 2
9 Cation 1.83 +446.9 44.1 6735
9 Anion 1.85 --176.4 0 7075
SE .061 69.9
offered the anion diet. When cows in the cation tion of OHPRO showed the same differences
group were separated and analyzed as paretic between cows offered the cation diet that were
vs. nonparetic, milk production was reduced and were not paretic (Table 3) as cows offered
14% for paretic cows (P<.05). cation and anion diets (Figure 1); cows offered
Blood plasma was analyzed for Ca, P, Na, C1, the cation diet that were paretic had lower
K, and hydroxyproline (OHPRO). Resuhs for (P<.05) OHPRO than cows fed the cation diet
blood composition represent the combined data that were not paretic from day 5 prepartum
for the entire trial for cows offered the cation through day 2 postpartum. Concentrations of
and anion diets. Ca, P, and OHPRO in nonparetic cows offered
Figure 1 shows the blood plasma analyses the cation diet were higher, on specific days,
for Ca, P, Na, C1, K, and OHPRO for cows fed than paretic cows offered the cation diet (Table
cation and anion diets. Table 3 shows similar 3) and tended to be lower than for cows of-
data only for cows offered the cation diet but fered the negative diet (Figures 1).
separated into paretic and nonparetic cows.
Plasma Ca and P concentrations (Figure 1) were
DISCUSSION
lower (P<.05) for cows offered the cation diet
at and around parturition. Cows offered the Results confuse current thoughts on the eti-
cation diet that became paretic had a more ology of milk fever in that prepartum cows
dramatic drop of plasma Ca and P at calving consuming diets with a high ratio of Ca to P did
(P<.05) than cows offered the cation diet that not become paretic if the diet contained an
were not paretic (Table 3). Plasma Na tended excess of anions relative to cations. These
toward greater concentration for cows offered results s u p p o r t (11, 13, 14). The reason cows
the cation diet (Figure 1) with significant did not become, paretic was that Ca and P were
differences (P<.05) on day 4 prepartum. F o r maintained during Ca stress. However, the
cows offered the cation diet (Table 3), those physiological response is unclear. This does not
that were paretic had higher Na in plasma suggest that the feeding of diets with a low
(P<.05) on days 4, 3, and 1 prepartum than ratio of Ca to P or low quantities of Ca to
cows that were not paretic. Plasma C1 concen- prepartum cows is undesirable; this method still
trations were higher (P<.01) for cows offered is considered the choice in most cases. How-
the anion diet from day 20 prepartum through ever, in cases where feeding low ratios of Ca to
parturition (Figure 1) compared with cows P is not possible, manipulating the anion-cation
offered the cation diet. Plasma C1 tended lower balance of prepartum diets does have advantages
for all cows offered the cation diet (Table 3) over treating cows with vitamin D or its me-
regardless of disease status at parturition with tabolites. Use of vitamin D products (17, 18,
cows that were paretic having lower (P<.05) 20, 22, 26, 31, 34, 36)requires careful moni-
plasma C1 on day 2 prepartum, at parturition, toring for dosage, timing of treatment relative
and on day 1 postpartum than cows fed the to parturition, number of retreatments, and
cation diet that were not paretic. Plasma K was risks of toxicity (28). Once a formulation is
consistently lower (P<.05) for cows offered the derived, anion-cation balance for preventing
cation diet from d a y . 2 0 prepartum through, milk fever is accomplished simply b y mixing
and including, day 1 postpartum (Figure the minerals with other dietary ingredients.
1). Cows offered the cation diet that were Although for m y trial the equation meq
paretic tended to have lower plasma K with [(Na + K) -- (C1 + S)] worked well, the cation
lower (P<.05) plasma K on day 4 prepartum diet did not cause milk fever in all cases. In
compared with cows that were not paretic another trial (11) the same equation showed
(Table 3). Plasma OHPRO was consistently that diets with an anion-cation balance of - 2 5 5
lower (P<.05) for cows offered the cation diet prevented milk fever in most cases but allowed
(Figure 1) from day 5 prepartum through day 2 milk fever to develop in one case; however,
postpartum compared with cows offered the some cows consuming diets with highly positive
anion diet. Moreover, OHPRO increased for anion-cation balances did not become paretic or
cows fed the anion diet, whereas OHPRO of became only slightly paretic while other cows
cows fed the cation diet remained unchanged consuming diets with the same anion-cation
until day 2 postpartum (Figure 1). Concentra- balances became paretic.
TABLE 3. Blood plasma c o m p o n e n t s for cows offered the cation diet that were diagnosed with milk fever (MF) versus healthy (H) cows f r o m day-5 prepartum to
~7 day-5 postpartum, a
4
Plasma Disease Days prepartum Days postpartum
component status 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5
¢~
,¢
O
Calcium,
G',
.q m g / l O 0 ml MF 8.87 8.29 8.02 b 7.75 b 7.22 b 4.83 b 5.69 b 6.79 b 7.43 8.12 8.33
H 8.66 8.19 8.24 c 8.40 c 8.43 e 7.75 c 8.52 c 8.75 c 8.95 c 8.78 8.38
Z
9 SE .24 .29 .26 .14 .37 .23 .24 .20 .44 .25 ,32
Phosphorus
mg/lO0 ml MF 4.60 4.52 4.68 4.28 3.07 b 2.43 b 2.76 b 3.32 b 4.03 4.07 3.96
H 4.30 4.52 4.50 4.32 4.22 c 3.33 c 3.67 c 4.02 c 4.23 3.97 4.12
4~
SE .25 .21 .19 .14 .33 .18 .21 .25 .11 .19 .11
Sodium,
meq/liter MF 144.6 157.6 b 149.0 b 139.4 142.6 b 138.2 136.2 133.2 129.3 127.3 132.8
H 142.0 148.0 c 137.4 c 134.8 132.0 c 132.8 138.4 137.8 133.6 139.6 126.6 ~)
SE 33.2 17.1 12.9 30.4 18.4 20.7 25.4 24.6 28.7 36.1 31.2 C3
Chlorine,
meq/liter MF 103.8 104.8 103.6 103.6 b 102.6 lO0.Ob 103.2 b 107.2 108.0 109.5 106.5
H 104.8 105.4 105.0 106.0 c 104.6 105.4 c 109.2 c 112.0 112.4 109.0 111.2
SE .49 .71 1.17 1.36 .89 .80 1.98 .94 .93 1.49 1.75
Potassium,
meq/liter MF 3.83 3.56 b 3.83 4.20 4.22 4.06 3.92 3.74 4.26 3.85 3.57
H 3.97 4.17 c 3.89 4.26 4.35 4.10 4.04 4.19 3.77 3.68 4.30
SE .28 .134 .06 .26 .23 .26 .33 .21 .25 .20 .181
Hydroxyproline,
/~g/ml MF 1.90 b 1.82 b 1.84 b 1.84 b 1.78 b 1.64 b 1.66 b 1.82 b 2.25 2.48 2.95
H 2.22c 2.08 c 2.06 c 2.08 c 2.14 c 2.14 c 2.30 c 2.98 e 3.10 3.02 3.00
SE .04 .05 .04 .04 .03 .07 .09 .27 .15 .1 .06
PHOSPHORUS
CALCIUM
.~ .~ .~S .n .m .Or .~.~ J0 .~S .0~~ .~0 .0~ .~ .11 .]2 .~S ,~ .0~ .~ .0P .0Z~ .Cq .~ .O8 .~
M
4, G
8"
3. M
L
[ 1/ i
POTASSIU8 SODIUM
1,~ .OZ .g .~b .~ .~ ,~ .~ ,~ .~ .47 .~ .~ 8.28 8.08 16.6 8.55~ 6.45 15.2 9.2 /0.35 ]2.7 12.3 14.3518.0515.6
I16" 160-
M 11~" M 158-
Q Q
/ /
1[ 108" IL 140"
T T
E E
R 104" R 130"
12:O I
PREPARTUM POSTPARTUM PREPARTUM POSTPARTUM
H~ROXYPROL
N
IE
.o6 .o, .c~ .o? .o~ .o~ ,oib .~ .~ .~? .o~ .o~ .os CHLORIDE
4~5"
M 4-
E
U 2. 5 ' Q
G
/
IL 3 . 5 -
M
L T
2:. E
R 3-
Figure 1. Calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chloride, and hydroxyproline in blood plasma of cows of-
fered the cation (D) and anion (o) diets prepartum on days 30, 20, and 5 through 1, at parturition, and on days
1 through 5 postpartum. Numbers at top of each graph are standard errors for the sampling date. a) Cows fed
cation and anion diets differ (P<.05). b) Cows fed cation and anion diets differ (P<.O1).
There is uncertainty of which ions to include C1), and C1/(Na + K) (37) have been used
and which equation to use in calculation of to describe effects of ions on eggshell forma-
anion-cation balance. Although (11) used meq tion, blood ionic constitutents, and acid-base
[(Na + K) - (El + S)], (29) examined daily balance in poultry.
intake of [(Na + K) -- (El + S)], [(Na + K) -- Suggestions have been made (11, 14, 29)
(C1 + S + P)], (C1 + S), (CL + S + P), and (Na + that diets containing acid forming ions cause
K) in relation to digestible Ca, and (14) ex- greater Ca absorption by cows via decreasing
amined meq [(Na + K) -- (C1 + S)]and meq intestinal pH. My trial indicates that blood of
[(Ca + Mg + K + Na) -- (P + S + C1)]. In (29) cows responds fo anion cation-balanced diets as
was suggested that the inclusion of P in the shown by the response of plasma OHPRO
calculation improves the relation between (Figure 1) by cows offered the anion diet and
dietary ions and Ca digestibility. A further lack of response by cows offered the cation
confusing point is that other equations have diet. It appears that the anion (acidogenic) diet
•been used with poultry. Ionic equations such as altowed for easier bone-mobilization during
dietary Na/C1 (24), (Na + K)/C1 (8), (Na + K - Ca-stress even though diets contained a high
31 Manston, R., and J. M. Payne. 1964. Mineral edge of milk fever. Vet. Rec. 76:1275.
imbalance in pregnant "milk-fever-prone" cows 36 Payne, J. M., and R. Manston. 1967. The safety of
and the value and possible toxic effects of treat- massive doses of vitamin D~ in the prevention of
ment with vitamin D 3 and dihydrotachysterol. Br. milk fever. Vet. Rec. 79:215.
Vet. J. 120:167. 37 Sauveur, B., and P. Mongin. 1978. Interrelationships
32 National Research Council. 1978. Nutrient re- between dietary concentrations of sodium, potas-
quirements of dairy cattle. No. 3. Nutrient re- sium and chloride in laying hens. Br. Poult. Sci.
quirements of domestic animals. Nail. Acad. Sci., 19:475.
Washington, DC. 38 Scott, C. H. 1968. Dietary influence on the inci-
33 Newell, G. K., and R. E. Beauchene. 1975. Effect dence of parturient paresis. Fed. Proc. 27:156.
of dietary calcium level, acid stress, and age on 39 Tepper, T., and L. DeVos. 1975. An automated
renal, serum, and bone responses of rats. J. Nutr. determination of free plasma h);droxyproline. Clin.
105:1039. Chim. Acta 59:373.
34 Olson, W. H., N. A. Jorgensen, A. N. Bringe, L. H. 40 Valdivia, R., C. B. Ammerman, P. R. Henry, J. P.
Schultz, and H. F. Deluca. 1974. 25-Hydroxy- Feaster, and C. J. Wilcox. 1982. Effects of dietary
cholecalciferal (25-OHD~). I. Treatment for aluminum and phosphorus on performance,
parturient paresis. J. Dairy Sci. 56:885. phosphorus utilization and tissue mineral composi-
35 Payne, J. M. 1964. Recent advances in our knowl- tion in sheep. J. Anita. Sci. 55:402.