Effects of Postpartum Supplemental Oral Ca for Dairy Cows Fed Prepartum Dietary Acidogenic Salts.

ABSTRACT: Postpartum hypocalcemia is a problem in dairy cows. Both the Jersey vs. Holstein breed and increasing parity are known risk factors. Our objectives were: (1) to evaluate a simple approach to provide dietary acidogenic salts suitable for application on small dairies and (2) to evaluate the combined effects of degree of acidification and oral Ca supplementation along with breed and parity group on periparturient Ca status of Holstein and Jersey cows. Cows were moved weekly from the far-off dry pen at 260 days pregnant to the close-up pen, where all cows received the acidogenic diets. The diet was offered as a total mixed ration and CaCl2, and our source of acidogenic salts was top-dressed in liquid form and mixed in by hand. Thirty-six cows were blocked by parity group (parity = 2 vs. parity

SUBMITTER: Vagnoni DB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8614558 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature