Milk Fever

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

What is the cause of milk fever?

Milk fever is caused by a deficiency of calcium in the blood. This occurs 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 replenishes it from the bones. Restoring calcium levels can take a long time. During this replenishment, the cow is calcium-deficient, increasing the risk of milk fever.