Hipocalcemia em vacas leiteiras

Abstract

Hypocalcemia in dairy cows is a very common metabolic-nutritional disease in high-production cows. It generally occurs during or after childbirth, due to a decrease in calcium levels in the blood for the production of colostrum, milk and also for childbirth. This micronutrient is present in the animal's body at approximately 2% of its body weight, and acts on several metabolic functions, such as: development of bones and teeth, muscle contraction, blood clotting, among others. Hypocalcemia can occur subclinically and clinically, and in the subclinical manifestation there is an absence of clinical signs, which goes unnoticed by producers and causes great damage to the affected animals. Subclinical hypocalcemia, if not properly treated, can develop into clinical hypocalcemia, which affects the animal more severely and can lead to death. Therefore, when there is a sudden decrease in the concentration of Calcium in the cow's body, it may present signs such as inability to remain in station, anorexia, depression, sternal decubitus with the head facing the flank, among others; These signs may worsen and lead to complete muscle flaccidity, progressive loss of consciousness, tachycardia and, ultimately, lead to death. Treatment is carried out with calcium-based drugs, intravenously in emergency cases. In milder cases, you can take oral calcium supplements or choose to provide drench, which are mineral and energy solutions that will help increase calcium levels in the blood more quickly. To avoid and reduce the incidence of hypocalcemia in high-production cows, implementing preventive measures is of paramount importance. Some possible preventive methods may be: providing an anionic diet during peripartum, administration of vitamin D and calcium supplementation, which can also be an alternative prevention for clinical hypocalcemia.