Prevention of Parturient Paresis by a Prepartum, Calcium-Deficient Diet

Abstract

Abstract Parturient paresis was prevented by feeding a calcium-deficient diet composed of corn silage, ground shelled corn, a dried molasses product, urea, and monosodium phosphate. The diet was palatable and met energy, protein, and phosphorus requirements but supplied only 8g of calcium daily per 450kg body weight. Twelve parturitions of cows fed this diet for about 14 days prepartum were compared to 13 parturitions of similar cows fed control diets. Initially, plasma calcium of the cows fed the calcium-deficient diet decreased, but homeostatic mechanisms returned calcium to normal within 4 days. This sensitized calcium homeostatic mechanism was sufficient to prevent parturient paresis in the 12 cows fed the calcium-deficient diet.