The Story of Kared and Milk Fever

This story was shared by a friend, and it highlights how a lack of knowledge led to the loss of a beloved cow, Kared. Kared was an Ayrshire cow with excellent milk production. Her milk was always sold because we never drank it ourselves, as it was lighter than Holstein milk. But one year, after calving, Kared’s health started to decline.

Kared’s Health Declines

Normally, Kared would come into heat every year after calving, and her milk production remained strong. She had calved multiple times, and each time, her calves were as strong as she was. But this time was different. Kared struggled to stand after giving birth. Her milk production dropped, and her appetite decreased. She looked weaker each day.

The Struggle to Save Kared

We called the vet, and Kared was treated with multiple injections over three days. It was a lot of work just to get her to stand, so the calf could feed. Sadly, despite our efforts, Kared didn’t improve. She was no longer able to stand on her own. I remember seeing a group of men preparing to transport her. Since Kared couldn’t walk, they had to lift her into the car. She was sold for just 20,000, far below her worth.

Realizing the Cause of Kared’s Condition

Years later, I came across an article from Dairyverse about milk fever and its symptoms. That’s when I realized Kared’s condition might have been caused by milk fever, which could have been prevented with proper care.

How to Prevent Milk Fever

Milk fever is a common condition in cows, especially around calving. To prevent milk fever, it’s important to manage the cow’s calcium levels before and after calving. Here’s how to do it:

Feed a low-calcium diet during the dry period to stimulate the cow’s natural calcium-regulating mechanisms.
Use anionic salts to help maintain proper calcium balance.
Ensure the cow receives adequate magnesium, which aids calcium absorption.
After calving, provide oral calcium supplements to high-risk cows to prevent sudden drops in calcium levels.

If milk fever occurs, it should be treated immediately with intravenous calcium under veterinary supervision.

Dairyverse: Educating Farmers

Thanks to informative articles from Dairyverse, I now understand how to prevent conditions like milk fever. Dairyverse has been a game-changer for farmers, offering valuable education on how to care for cows and prevent diseases. If we had known about milk fever back then, we could have saved Kared.