Faith Independent - Pioneer Review

Page 12• April 10, 2013 • The Faith Independent
Walt Bones to retire as
Secretary of Agriculture
South Dakota Secretary of
Agriculture Walt Bones has announced
plans to retire from his
position, effective April 29. Bones,
a Parker native, has headed the
Ag Department since January
2011.
“It has truly been an honor to
serve as Secretary of Agriculture,”
Bones said. “I’ve served
with a group of dedicated public
servants – from the Governor,
who really understands the role
of agriculture, to his staff and
Cabinet members, our Legislature,
and especially Department
of Agriculture employees, everyone
has worked hard to promote
and protect the best interests of
our industry.”
“I would like to thank all our
farmers, ranchers and industry
leaders who work every day to ensure
the sustainability and viability
of South Dakota Agriculture,”
Bones said. “My number one
takeaway from my time in public
service is the amazing things we
can accomplish when we all work
together.”
Governor Daugaard praised
Secretary Bones for his service.
“Walt Bones is a great leader
in the ag community, and I have
appreciated his hard work for
South Dakota’s No. 1 industry,”
the Governor said. “I thank him
for his service to South Dakota
and wish him well.”
Bones is a partner in a family
farming operation near Parker,
and upon his retirement he will
return to his farm.
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Milk fever in beef cows
Minerals are critical to the
health and performance of grazing
livestock. Deficiencies and excesses
of minerals in an animal's
diet can cause weight loss, decreased
reproductive performance,
and a variety of nutritional
disorders, says Kalyn Waters,
SDSU Extension Cow/Calf Field
Specialist. She points to milk
fever as a metabolic issue that
can occur as a result of mineral
imbalances this time of year.
"It is important to understand
various factors that contribute to
the potential for these disorders
and also to understand associated
symptoms and treatments to minimize
losses," Waters said.
Milk Fever (Parturient
Paresis)
Milk fever is generally associated
with high-producing dairy
cattle; however, it can also occur
in beef cattle Waters explains.
"Milk fever is a result of
hypocalcaemia (low calcium).
Most forage contains enough calcium
to meet the minimal requirements
of livestock, which is
around 40 grams per day. However,
a dramatic increase in calcium
requirements occurs with
the onset of lactation in the dam,
and requirements are typically
unable to be met simply by increasing
Calcium intake," she
said.
Colostrum which contains 2.0
to 2.3grams per liter of calcium is
partly to blame explains Waters.
"Colostrum drains reserves in
the cow's blood stream; which explains
why milk fever is typically
seen in mature cows as they have
a much greater rate of colostrum
production."
Hypocalcaemia results in a decrease
in smooth muscle function,
decreasing rumen and gastrointestinal
tract function and ultimately
resulting in a decrease in
dry matter intake. In addition,
decreases in uterine motility and
immunity raise the risk of uterine
infections and decreased fertility.
Normal levels of calcium in the
blood will be between 8.5 and 11
milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL);
however, levels drop dramatically
in a cow experiencing milk fever,
resulting in clinical symptoms
which can include; lack of muscle
coordination and twitching; dry
muzzle, depression, altered rectal
temperature, and laying down
but still up right; and in the most
severe stage - bloat, laying out
flat, weak pulse, flaccid muscles,
risk of death. This decrease of calcium
in the blood supply directly
impacts the animal's ability to
regulate muscle contractions and
relaxation, which is the most
identifiable clinical signs of milk
fever.
Waters says that cattle must
be able to increase absorption of
calcium in the small intestine and
mobilize stored calcium from
bones to effectively meet increased
requirements of lactation.
"Mobilization of bone calcium
is regulated by parathyroid hormone
(PTH), which is produced
by glands in the neck. When blood
calcium levels drop, PTH is activated.
As this occurs, a secondary
hormone derived from vitamin D
in the kidney stimulates the intestine
to increase absorption of
dietary calcium. If calcium intake
from the diet was sufficient prior
to calving, mechanisms for stimulating
calcium mobilization may
not be stimulated," she said.
Because of this, Waters recommends
that cattle producers reduce
calcium intake late in
gestation to prime those systems
and increase their functionality
prior to the onset of lactation. She
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admits however, it is difficult to
get calcium levels in the diet low
enough to actually prevent milk
fever.
Blood pH
Another factor that can affect
the ability of cows to mobilize calcium
reserves from bone is pH
level of the blood.
"Calcium acts as a base in the
blood, thus higher levels of calcium
will result in more alkaline
blood pH. If pH of cattle is too alkaline,
hormones that stimulate
PTH do not act efficiently on bone
or kidney tissues and cattle are
unable to mobilize calcium reserves,"
Waters said.
Waters says adequate levels of
magnesium are also important in
the function of these hormones. If
magnesium is deficient, supplying
magnesium chloride, magnesium
sulfate, or magnesium oxide
in the diet at a level of up to 0.4
percent can help acidify the blood.
Excessive potassium in the
diet is one of the major factors affecting
blood pH and potentially
contributing to milk fever. Some
types of forage may have excessively
high amounts of potassium
due to fertilization strategies and
accumulation of potassium in
plant tissues. Waters says that
high levels of potassium may be
observed in lush green grasses
and alfalfa, while corn silage,
straw and small grain forages
tend to contain lower levels.
If forages are suspect in milk
fever cases, potassium concentration
should be determined by
standard "wet chemistry" lab
analysis. To learn more about this
analysis
visit
http://igrow.org/up/resources/02-
1002-2012.pdf.
Rations with less than 2 percent
potassium are recommended
to prevent milk fever.
"Although mineral requirements
are considered to be small
in relation to other nutrients,
they serve numerous important
functions in animal health and
immune response," Waters said.
"Milk fever is an example of how
complex mineral interactions and
imbalances can cause metabolic
issues, particularly in lactating
animals with increased requirements."
In cases of milk fever, Waters
says early detection is key to successful
treatment. Waters encourages
producers to observe cattle
closely to minimize losses, and
producers should maintain close
contact with their veterinarian
for the best prevention and treatment
strategies.
For more information visit
iGrow.org or contact Waters at
the SDSU Extension Regional
Center in Winner, 605-842-1267
or kalyn.waters@sdstate.edu; or
contact SDSU Extension Research
Associate, Janna Kincheloe
at the West River Ag. Center,
605-394-2236 or janna.kincheloe@sdstate.edu;
or contact any
SDSU Extension Cow/Calf Field
Specialist and Beef Extension
Specialist. SDSU Extension staff
contact information can be found
at iGrow.org.