Hypomagnesemia in a Herd Fed on High Protein Diet

Sushma Chhabra; Sunil Dutt Bhardwaj

Abstract

Hypomagnesemia in a Herd Fed on High Protein Diet

Sushma Chhabra and Sunil Dutt Bhardwaj

In a herd of 23 high yielding cross bred cows, 4 cows showed classical symptoms of hypomagnesemia. All the animals were being fed with high protein diet whereby they were provided with ad lib leguminous green fodder particularly berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) that was fertilized with urea. Even the concentrate being fed @10 kg/animal/day, was having >40% protein source in form of mustard cake and soybean. Blood samples from all the cows of the herd were collected for plasma minerals (Ca, Mg, K, Na, Cu, Fe and Zn) estimation. Lower concentration of magnesium and sodium were recorded whereas marginal levels of calcium were observed in the affected animals. With oral supplementation of magnesium oxide and diet change there was no relapse of the condition.