Hypomagnesemia in Sheep

Hypomagnesemia is an acute metabolic disease of sheep, characterized by a variety of clinical signs like excitability, grinding of the teeth, salivation, ataxia, recumbency, and tetanic muscle spasms and is caused by a depressed supply of metabolizable magnesium from prolonged consumption of lush immature grasses. It is also known as grass tetany or grass staggers or wheat pasture poisoning. Adult lactating animals are most susceptible because of the loss of Mg in milk. Due to its wide geographic distribution and as a causative of extensive economic losses, it has major importance and high concern for the entire sheep industry. Economic losses result from deaths, determent of full utilization of pasture feed and the cost of preventive programs