Milk fever

Also: hypocalcaemia, parturient paresis

Milk fever is not a fever but a sudden fall in blood calcium, usually within a day or two of calving, when the start of milk production draws heavily on the cow's calcium. She becomes shaky, then may go down and be unable to rise, with cold ears and a dull look. It is most common in older, high-yielding cows, and the Jersey is particularly prone. Untreated, it can be fatal, but calcium given by a vet often brings a quick recovery. Careful feeding in the dry period, especially of minerals, lowers the risk.

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