Often, the disease occurs after calving, but it can also occur before or during calving. Milk fever is common in high-producing or older calved cows. It is a very costly disease for the dairy farmer because the cow's milk production decreases and it can result in reduced fertility later. In severe cases, it can even lead to death.

What causes milk fever?

In milk fever, there is a calcium deficiency in the blood. This is because after calving the calcium requirement increases rapidly due to milk production. Calcium is present in the bloodstream and in the bones. When there is a calcium deficiency in the blood, the cow supplements it from the bone. Replenishing calcium can take a long time. During replenishment, the cow therefore has a calcium deficiency, and there is a chance that milk fever will occur.