Grass staggers / Milk fever
Grass staggers
Grass staggers (or hypomagnesaemia) is caused by magnesium deficiency in cows in late pregnancy and early lactation. Symptons include:
- nervousness
- stiff movements and staggers when forced to move quickly
- lack of appetite
- and finally, death
Assuming adequate feed intake, pasture magnesium concentration should exceed 0.2% mg for protection against hypomagnesaemia.
Milk fever prevention
Milk fever is a calcium definency. Magnesium is required for the production of hormones that are important for the absorption of calcium.
Herbage magnesium should be above 0.20%.
