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Relationships between Prepartal Dietary Calcium and Phosphorus, Vitamin D Metabolism, and Parturient Paresis in Dairy Cows¹

Department of Animal Science Iowa State University ^* National Animal Disease Center Ames, IA 50011

Twenty Jersey cows were fed one of four prepartal diets: a) low calcium, low phosphorus (LCLP); b) low calcium, high phosphorus (LCHP); c) high calcium, low phosphorus (HCLP); or d) high calcium, high phosphorus (HCHP). Diets were fed for about 4 weeks prepartum. Blood samples were taken periodically, and the collected plasma analyzed for concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, hydroxyproline and 1,25 dihydroxyergocalciferol plus 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25-(OH)₂D). Cows fed the LCLP and LCHP diets, when compared to cows fed the HCLP diet, had: a) greater concentrations of plasma 1,25-(OH)₂D and hydroxyproline prepartum; b) greater plasma calcium concentrations at parturition; and c) less incidence (0 versus 4 cases) of parturient paresis. Thus, low calcium diets, regardless of dietary phosphorus intake, seemed to activate calcium homeostatic mechanisms before parturition by stimulating both bone and gut. Cows fed the HCLP diet had greater plasma calcium concentrations at parturition than did cows fed the HCHP, even though there was no measurable effect on plasma 1,25-(OH)₂D and hydroxyproline concentrations during the prepartal period. It seems possible that the beneficial effect of low dietary phosphorus, when dietary calcium is high, may be a result of a prepartal increase in efficiency of absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the gut caused by increased binding of 1,25-(OH)₂D to intestinal receptors.

KEY WORDS: • calcium • phosphorus • 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol • parturient paresis

¹ Journal paper J-10362 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Iowa State University, Ames; Project 2393. Supported in part by USDA grant 901-15-159.

² Current address is Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853.

³ To whom reprint requests should be sent.

Manuscript received 26 August 1981.

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