Preventing Milk Fever (Hypocalcemia)

Milk fever is a metabolic disease that strikes high-yielding Murrah buffaloes within the first 48 hours after calving. The buffalo suddenly collapses, becomes paralyzed, and shows a lowered body temperature. It is a terrifying sight and can quickly become fatal.

The Cause

Milk fever is not an infection or a true fever; it is acute Calcium Deficiency. When lactation suddenly begins, massive amounts of calcium are dumped into the colostrum and milk. If the buffalo's body cannot mobilize calcium from her bones fast enough, her blood calcium levels crash, causing muscle paralysis.

Prevention Strategy

The old myth is to feed heavy calcium to pregnant dry buffaloes. This is wrong and actually causes Milk Fever. If you feed high calcium during the dry period, the animal's bone-calcium mobilizing mechanism "goes to sleep."

During the Dry Period: Keep calcium intake low. Feed anionic salts. This forces the parathyroid gland to stay active, constantly pulling calcium from the bones.
Immediately After Calving: Provide a ready-to-absorb oral calcium gel/tonic as soon as the calf is born.

By actively managing the diet 21 days before calving, you ensure the buffalo transitions safely into high milk production without collapsing.

Preventing Milk Fever (Hypocalcemia)