Magnesium status of dairy cows

Authors: Alexander AM
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 33, Issue 10, pp 171-172, Oct 1985
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Cattle, Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant
Subject Terms: Diet/rations/food, Minerals/elememts, Metabolic disease, Disease/defect, Locomotor, Nervous system/neurology, Nutrition/metabolism
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: Madam:Magnesium has been identified as an important mineral in the nutrition of dairy cows and recent findings in New Zealand emphasize this `importance. For example, a large survey of dairy animals showed one-third of almost one million cows could be suffering from hypomagnesemia. A separate survey involving 76 farms estimated that supplementing with magnesium to prevent hypomagnesemia would have produced a net benefit of between $1,600 and $4,250 per farm. The cost/benefit ratio was remarkably high and ranged from 11-28. Obviously a concerted effort to prevent hypomagnesemia in dairy herds could have a significant impact on national production efficiency. Such efforts would be dependent upon reliable diagnostic yardsticks. and the speedy return of laboratory test results. The quick determination of test results is especially important in an area of nutrition as dynamic and changeable as magnesium. Because of this, a reliable farm test to determine herd status would have considerable appeal and usefulness. In this regard I have recently been associated with the introduction of a “cow-side” test that measures magnesium levels in bovine urine and gives an indication of herd status…

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