Unit 14: Metabolic &

Deficiency Diseases
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
RPs
DAs
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 doesnt 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 doesnt
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 isnt 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 doesnt 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
Pigs 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 24-36 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
Dont 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