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How to identify grass tetany
Clinical grass tetany
- Hyperexcitability
- Starey eyed
- Muscular spasms
- Uncoordinated
- Convulsions
- Respiratory distress
- Grazing away from the herd
- Collapse, and death.
Sub-clinical grass tetany
- Depression of dry matter intakes,
- Reduction in milk yields
- Loss of body condition,
- Increased susceptibility to diseases e.g. milk fever.
Veterinary Diagnosis
Plasma magnesium less than 0.8mmol/l indicates subclinical hypomagnesaemia and an increased risk of developing acute hypomagnesaemia.
Prevention is key
- Magnesium must be given daily to animals at risk, as the body has no readily available stores.
- Begin supplementation before cattle are turned out on tetany prone pasture, and continue until the threat is minimal.
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