Physiologic Factors To Consider In Order To Prevent Periparturient Disease In The Dairy Cow, With Special Emphasis On Milk Fever

Efficient milk production continues to requirethe dairy cow to experience gestation andparturition each year. The transition frompregnant, non-lactating to non-pregnant, lactating is too often a disastrous experience. Most of the metabolic diseases of dairy cows – milk fever, ketosis, retained placenta, and displacement of the abomasum – occur within the first 2 weeks of lactation. The etiology of many of those diseases that are not clinically apparent during the first 2 weeks of lactation, such as laminitis, can be traced back to insults that occurred in early lactation. In addition to metabolic disease, the over-whelming majority of infectious diseases, espe-cially mastitis, but also diseases such as Johne’s dis-ease and Salmonellosis, become clinically appar-ent during the first 2 weeks of lactation. The well-being of the cow and her profitability could b