Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases

1. Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases

2. Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases • Milk Fever • Also called: • Hypocalcemia • Parturient paresis • Downer cow syndrome • Non-febrile • Affects: • Dairy, beef, sheep, goats

3. 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

4. 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 • RP’s • DA’s • Decreased reproductive efficiency • Decreased milk production in that lactation

5. 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

6. Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases • Feeding high Ca diets prior to parturition • Cow doesn’t 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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 doesn’t meet requirements of the animal • Animal mobilizes its own fat reserves

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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 isn’t 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

13. 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)

14. 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

15. 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

16. Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases • Prevention • Supplement Mg daily through high-risk period • Crash feeding Mg after disease onset doesn’t 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases • Cause • Pig’s 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

23. 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

24. 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 • Don’t 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. Unit 14: Metabolic & Deficiency Diseases • Prevention • Proper feeding rates of Ca, Zn, and fat • Treatment • Reduce Ca content in ration • Increase Zn level