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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Ruminant Diseases and Immunology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #124826
Title: USING SOLANUM GLAUCOPHYLLUM AS A SOURCE OF 1,25-DIHYDROXYVITAMIN D TO PREVENT HYPOCALCEMIA IN DAIRY COWS

Author
item Horst, Ronald
item Goff, Jesse
item GILL, S - CAE, BUENOS AIRES
item DALLORSO, M - UNLZ, BUENOS AIRES
item PAWLAK, E - CAE, BUENOS AIRES

Submitted to: International Conference on Production Diseases in Farm Animals
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Reducing cation-anion difference of diets (DCAD) fed just before parturition can prevent milk fever. However, this dietary regimen does not entirely eliminate hypocalcemia. Milk fever (MF) can also be prevented by exogenous administration of the calcium regulating hormone, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25-OH2D). Solanum glaucophyllum (SG) is a plant which contains high levels of a glycoside form of 1,25-OH2D. Nine multiparous Jersey cows were fed a low DCAD diet prior to calving. Urine pH of cows was maintained below 7.0 in all cows the week prior to parturition. Five cows were daily given 2 or 3 g SG leaves in gelatin boluses beginning 6 d before calving and continuing for the first 14 d of lactation. None of the 4 cows fed the low DCAD diet only developed MF. Their blood Ca conc. was 7.6, 7.0 and 8.0 mg/dl the day of calving and d 1 and 2 after calving. Cows receiving SG in addition to low DCAD diet had higher blood Ca conc. during the periparturient period with blood Ca conc. of 7.8, 8.8 and 9.3 mg/dl the day of calving and d 1 and 2 after calving. Defining subclinical hypocalcemia as blood Ca less than 7.5 mg/dl, control cows suffered an average of 3 d of subclinical hypocalcemia and the SG- treated cows suffered 0.8 d of subclinical hypocalcemia the first 2 wk of lactation. Thus, SG treatment improved Ca status in animals that were also being fed a low DCAD diet. All cows receiving SG suffered 1-2 d of hypocalcemia (1 cow developed MF) between 6 and 8 d after SG treatment was ended. Mean blood Ca on d 22 of lactation of SG cows was 6.9 mg/dl compared with 9.2 mg/dl in untreated cows. It appears that SG treatment supplanted the cow's own Ca homeostasis mechanism so that withdrawal of treatment left the cows temporarily unable to control blood Ca conc.