AffectedAnimals:
Cows, especially older, higher producing dairy cows are most often affected.

Overview:
Milk fever is a condition of older, third to sixth lactation, high-producing dairy cows. It is associated with parturition, usually within 72 hours of giving birth. Because of the high volume of milk produced during this time, and subsequent demand for calcium, these cows often develop hypocalcemia, or abnormally low levels of calcium in the blood. Since calcium is required for the release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction, affected animals will begin to experience muscle weakness. As this hypocalcemia worsens, the cow will become too weak to stand and will eventually become comatose over a matter of hours.

The hypocalcemia of bovine postparturient paresis is treated intravenously with calcium gluconate. Affected cows have an excellent prognosis if treated early and properly. However, the worse the symptoms, the worse the prognosis tends to be. Milk fever may be prevented with appropriate feeding or calcium or vitamin D supplementation during the weeks preceding parturition.