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Blood Plasma Mineral Profile And Health Status In Postpartum Cows Fed An Anionic Diet Before Parturition, Cazim Crnkic, Salko Muratovic, Slavica Piplica, Aida Kavazovic, Stanimir Kutlaca

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The effects of an anionic versus cationic (control) diet on plasma mineral levels and health status were investigated in 24 dry pregnant Holstein-Friesian cows during the last 3 weeks of pregnancy. The cows were in their third or fourth parity, had a moderate level of milk production in their previous lactation, and did not have a history of milk fever. The anionic diet significantly improved plasma calcium status, as compared to the control (2.18 vs. 1.99 mmol L^{-1}) and nonsignificantly reduced the incidence of subclinical hypocalcemia (1/12 vs. 5/12) without affecting other periparturient diseases. Other plasma mineral levels were unaffected, …