Hypomagnesemia Tetany,

Lactation tetany, Grass tetany,

Grass Staggers, Wheat Pasture Poisoning
• It is a complex metabolic disturbance ch. by drop
of serum and CSF Mg which lead to
hyperesthesia, muscular spasms, convulsions,
respiratory distress, collapse, and death.
Occurrence and animal susceptibility
• Adult lactating cows are most susceptible due to
the loss of Mg in milk. It is rare in non lactating
cattle but has occurred when undernourished
cattle were introduced to green cereal crops.
• It occurs mainly when animals are grazed on
lush grass pastures or green cereal crops, but
can occur in lactating beef cows fed silage
indoors.
 Magnesium functions
1- Intracellular function:,
• Mg is a major component in many enzymatic reactions
within the cell (> 300 enzymes require Mg for activation(.
• Without Mg , biochemical reactions within the cell would
cease and death would occur.
2- Extracellular function:,
• Mg is essential for muscle function, nerve cell
conduction, and bone formation.
• Although around 70% of the Mg in the body is contained
in the bone, this Mg is not very available to the animal in
times of Mg deficiency.
• Therefore, it is essential cows receive supplemental Mg
in the diet when faced with a deficiency
 Etiology
I- Sharp decrease in serum Mg and
Ca deficiency may play a role.
• It occurs after a decrease in serum Mg,
when absorption of dietary Mg is
unable to meet the requirements for
maintenance (3 mg/kg body wt) and
lactation (120 mg/kg milk).
• Mg def. occurs in high lact. cow raised
on pastures rich in K & Nitro. fertilizers.
• Mg absorption from the rumen may be
reduced when K and nitrogen intakes
are high and Na and P intakes are low.
II- Contributing / stress factors
1- Nutritional Stress
• Turning cattle onto winter pasture directly from
low quality pasture.
• Grazing on young forage, small grain or ryegrass
pastures, or rapidly growing lush pastures are
the most dangerous.
2- Weather stress
• The disorder is more common during cool,
cloudy, and rainy weather.
• Animals, particularly lactating cows, get grass
tetany most often when grazing cool-season
grasses or small grain pastures in spring and fall.
 II-Contributing / stress factors
3- Soil and fertilizer stress
• It occurs most frequently on pastures grown on
soils low in available Mg and high in available K.
• Heavy applications of broiler house litter or
other high-nitrogen and K manures may
increase the hazard of grass tetany.
4- Mineral contents of feeds.
• Forages containing less than 0.2% magnesium
and more than 3% potassium and 4% nitrogen
(25% protein) are likely to cause grass tetany
under the right conditions. Forages that are high
in potassium and nitrogen should also contain
at least 0.25% magnesium on a dry matter
basis
 Pathogenesis
• Disease occurs when Mg drop to < 1
mg/dl (Norm:1.7-3) that may assoc.
with hypocalcaemia (< 8 mg/dl)
• Mg have a role as a transmittors of
impulses to the muscular system
leading to secretion of acetyl-choline
that activate choline esterase resp. for
musc. contraction.
• Mg deficiency result in muscular
tremors, twitch & spasm.
 Acute clinical picture
• Cows cease feeding on pasture suddenly.
• Contracted muscle and ears.
• Hyperesthesia, followed by frenzy
movements, blowing , ataxia
• Opisothonus, convulsions, Nystagmus, jaw
movement with frothiness of mouth.
• Cows lay down with frequent attempt to
raise.
• Slight rise in body temp., pulse & respiration.
• Increased force of heart beat.
• Cows may die in an hours if not treated
immediately.
Cows and ewes with hypomagnesemic tetany
 Sub acute picture
• It occurs gradually, cows stays for 3-4 days
with inappetance, sad face, increased fore &
hind limbs movements.
• Cows are reluctant to move, throw head
away.
• Increased frequency of urination and
defection assoc. with straining.
• Muscl. tremors, mild convulsions esp. on
hind legs and tail with ataxia.
• Hyperesthesia.
• Cows may recover or lay down.
 Chronic form
• Depression may be the only signs observed
at peak of lactation.
• Loss of appetite and weight.
• May resemble milk fever signs, but don’t
respond to Ca therapy.
Hypomagnesemic tetany in sheep
• Clinical signs of hypomagnesemic tetany in
sheep occur when plasma Mg is <0.5 mg/dL
• It occurs concomitantly with hypocalcemia
• The disease in lactating ewes occurs under
essentially the same conditions and has the
same clinical signs as in cattle.
 Laboratory findings
• Drop in Mg and Ca levels in blood
and CSF.
• Signs of muscl. tremors observed
when Mg < 0.7 mg/dl., Ca < 5-8
mg/dl
• Mild decrease in serum P, increase
in serum K.
• Decreased Mg in urine.
 Diagnosis
History:
• Grazing of adult lactating cows on lush
green pasture rich in K & N fertilizers.
• Bad weathers
Clinical signs of Ataxia, in coordination,
Hyperesthesia, in cows at peak of lactation.
Laboratory: Drop of serum Mg < 0.7 mg/dl
Response to treatment by both Mg and Ca
preparations.
 Diff. diagnosis
1- Acute lead poisoning
(Blindness and frenzy)
2- BSE
(Frenzy signs have no relation to Mg)
3-Rabies
(down paralysis, Dog biting, No
convulsions).
4-Nervous from of ketosis. (Ketonemia,
ketonuria)
 Treatment:
• It can be successful if given early and without
excessive handling of the affected animal
• 200 ml of Mg sulfate 50% injected under the
skin increased the level of Mg in the blood in
15 min. or
• IV inj of 500 ml. of (Ca Borogluconate 25 %, +
Hypophosphate Mg 5 %), 50 ml for ewe. or
• Mg lactate 3.3 % iv or sc. or
• Mg gluconate 15 % (200-300 ml iv).
• Avoid heart & respiration abnormalities during
IV injection
 Hypomagnesemic tetany of calves,
Whole milk tetany
It is similar to that of adult cows.
It occurs in calves fed on milk from
dams deficient in Mg.
Feeding of calves on food def. in Mg
& suckling from dams in its peak of
lactation result in whole Milk Tetany
 Clinical signs
• First sign is cont. ear movements.
• Hyperesthesia.
• Tachycardia and normal body temp.
• Deviation of head and opisothonus.
• Ataxia, dropping of ears.
 Clinical signs
• Difficulty drinking of water,
inability to reach water
pucket.
• Muscle tremors esp. with
kinking abdomen.
• Convulsions, foot pushing,
jaw movement, frothiness.
• Incontin. Urination &
defecation.
• Cyanotic m.m before death.
 How to avoid Hypomagnesemia
Mg should be given as feed additive:
• Daily oral supplements of Mg oxide 60 g to cattle and
10 g to sheep should be given in the danger period.
• Mg Oxide 7-8 % mixed with Mollas or water and
sprayed over hay and dry food.
• Let pastures to complete its growth and decrease its K
supply.
• Avoid parturition of cows at winter season and delay it
to the end of winter.
• Avoid stress factors.
• Adequate Soil Phosphorus decreases the Grass
Tetany Potential of Tall Fescue Pasture
• Feeding free-choice mineral that supplies 13-15 g of
Mg / head / day for 30 days prior to and 30 days after
turnout will control most grass tetany problems.