Soto-Soto, Isamari
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Publication Efecto de la suplementación de calcio en gel vía oral sobre la prevalencia de hipocalcemia y la producción de leche en la lactancia temprana de vacas Holstein(2016) Soto-Soto, Isamari; Ortiz-Colón, Guillermo; College of Agricultural Sciences; Jiménez Cabán, Esbal; Ruíz López, Teodoro; Latorre Acevedo, José R.; Department of Animal Science; Plaza Delestre, MaríaThe objectives of this experiment were to evaluate in dairy cows the effects of oral calcium supplementation of a post calving gel on the incidence of hypocalcemia and productive performance in early lactation. In a 2x2 factorial arrangement sixty (primiparous and multiparous) Holstein cows were assigned alternately according to calving date to the nontreatment or treatment with oral calcium gel supplementation. Cows in the latter group received a single dose of 54 g of oral calcium in 300mL of gel after calving. Cows in the control group received no calcium gel. Blood samples were collected thrice to analyze ionized calcium concentrations: at least 1 day before, immediately after and 5 days after calving. Productive performance and health events were recorded during the first 100 days and 50 days postpartum, respectively. Significant differences in blood calcium concentration were not found between treatments, but a tendency (P= 0.10) was observed toward a lower incidence of subclinical hypocalcemia in cows supplemented with oral calcium gel after calving. Postpartum blood calcium concentration was higher (P= 0.03) in primiparous than in multiparous cows. Oral calcium gel supplementation did not affect milk production (P= 0.71), but the interval between calving and day of peak production was shorter (P= 0.05). Cows in the control group presented more calving problems and were more susceptible to suffer diseases such as retained placenta, metritis and mastitis.