Parturient Paresis. II. The Effect of Partial versus Complete Milking upon the Total Blood Serum Calcium of Dairy Cows at Parturition

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Abstract
This study was undertaken to ascertain the effect of complete milking shortly after calving on the blood serum Ca. The cows were of Hol-stein, Jersey, and Guernsey breeds. They were divided into 2 groups by alternating at freshening within a breed. The cows in the control group were managed conventionally by permitting the calves to remain with the cows for 3 days after calving. The cows in this group were partially milked twice daily beginning the day subsequent to calving. The calves were removed from the dams of the exptl. group before nursing, and the cows were milked completely with the aid of an injn. of 10 I.U. of oxytocin, usually within an hour of calving. Oxytocin injns. were made at each milking for the first 5 days subsequent to calving. Detns. for total blood serum Ca were made on samples of blood collected daily from 27 cows of the completely milked group and 29 cows of the partially milked group for 5 days prior to the anticipated day of parturition and for 5 days following calving. Two cows showed mild symptoms and 3 had parturient paresis in the completely milked group. Eight cows in the partially milked group had parturient paresis. All cases of parturient paresis occurred in the Jersey breed.

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