Bovikalc Calcium Bolus is an essential source of calcium used for controlling of milk fever in cattle. Cows that have a previous history of milk fever or that are pregnant with twins are susceptible to milk fever, Bovikalc Calcium Bolus can help prevent milk fever in the first place with a bolus given just before or straight after calving and a second bolus given 12 hours later. Bovikalc Calcium Boluses are specially designed with a fat coating which makes it easy and safe to administer and does no damage to the cows throat. Bovikalc Calcium Bolus are also very quickly absorbed into the cow's bloodstream. Active Substance Calcium Target Species Cattle Treats and Controls Replenishes lost calcium in the cow's system Application Method Administer Bovikalc with the Bovikalc Application Gun. Withdrawal Period None Dosage Just before or straight after calving and a second bolus given 12 hours later. What is milk fever? Milk fever is most commonly found in dairy cows and is a metabolic disease that is caused by low calcium blood levels. Milk fever can lead to a shortened life span and reduced milk production with one in twenty cows suffering from milk fever dying. Signs of a case of clinical milk fever can develop rapidly within 2-4 hours and if left unaided, the cow could potentially die within 10-24 hours. Subclinical milk fever occurs when calcium levels appear below 'normal' and may not show extreme indicators of milk fever. Typically, a cow with subclinical milk fever will see a drop in milk yield, poor weight gain and poor conception rates. Subclinical milk fever can often develop into clinical milk fever. Why Does Milk Fever Occur? The onset of lactation causes a sudden and large demand of calcium requiring an extra 80g per day from the cow. The cow can adapt to this demand by: Drawing on her own reserves from bone and tissue By improving absorption from the diet By reducing losses in urine There is a balance between lactational calcium demands and the ability of a cow to mobilise her own calcium reserves to meet this demand. The cows ability to maintain this balance and meet demands will influence on whether or not milk fever will develop. What Cows are at Risk of Milk Fever? All cows are unfortunately at risk of Milk Fever and most cows will have some degree of hypocalcaemia. However, risk will increase with age and parity. Some indicators to determine if your herd or individual cows are at a greater risk and should receive Bovikalc as a preventative measure includes: Increasing lactations High yielding cows Previous history of Milk Fever Body condition score >3.5 Grass based diet or diets high in potassium Signs: Typical signs of milk fever begin with tremors in the muscles of the head and limbs which then leads to the cow staggering and then eventually going down into a sitting position. Finally if left unaided the cow will collapse into a coma and may potentially die. Other symptoms can include: Dry muzzle Staring eyes Cold legs and ears Constipation Drowsiness Causes: Over 80% of cases of milk fever happen within 24 hours of calving. This is because the production of milk and colostrum drain calcium from the blood of the cow. Some cows are unable to replace the calcium quick enough which is the main cause of milk fever. Key Benefits of using Bovikalc Calcium Bolus Replenishes lost calcium in the cow's system Easy to administer Designed to do no damage to calves throat Fast acting Reduces the risk of calcium chloride aspiration pneumonia.
