Anionic diet on clinical, haematological and biochemical parameters of heifers with subclinical hypocalcemia prepartum

ABSTRACT This study's hypothesis is that cows receiving anionic diet for a longer period respond more quickly to decreased blood calcium. The aim was to evaluate the heifers’ clinical, hematological, and biochemical parameters, with subclinical hypocalcemia, subjected to different periods of anionic diet supply during antepartum. Nine heifers were induced to subclinical hypocalcemia during antepartum, sorted in 3 groups: G0 = no anionic diet before induction; G11= eleven days of anionic diet before induction; and G15 = fifteen days of anionic diet before induction. Examinations were held before and after induction and total and ionized calcium, magnesium and albumin were evaluated from days -2, 0, 1, 2 and 3, day 0 being the moment of induction; hematologic parameters were evaluated at days 0, 1, 2 and 3. G11 presented a higher total and ionized calcium concentration than G0 and higher total calcium concentration than G15 (P < 0.01). Magnesium had its highest values at G15 when compared to the other two groups (P < 0.01). G0 presented its highest values of monocytes and neutrophils rods (P<0.01). The eleven days of anionic diet supply were enough to maintain calcium homeostasis and leukocyte response in heifers challenged to reduction in blood calcium.