Milk Fever is the UK farmer's term for an acute shortage of calcium in the cow's blood sometimes brought on by the stress of calving. The true term is Hypocalcaemia.

SYMPTONS.
Just after calving the cow may feel cold to the touch on her rear and as the problem continues she will be unable to stand as she becomes paralysed due to its effects.

If left her stomach muscles will stop and the gasses in her stomach will cause her to swell up by now she would be lying prostrate and the resulting pressure on her diaphragm would kill her literally by suffocation.

However it is rarely fatal unless she has not been checked.

TREATMENT:
The cure is to give a solution of calcium under her skin and she will be fine in around 4 hours after it has been given. In a really bad case when she is lying prostrate this is put straight into her vein (usually by a vet) and often with such instant results that she will get to her feet before he has finished packing up his bags.

We don't get many cases at Greenheyes but this cow was showing "classic" symptoms.

These pictures show Andrea and myself administering the calcium with a "flutter valve".

The solution is firstly warmed to body temperature. When it has all gone in the area is rubbed to aid its dispersal.

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