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L. W. Greene, J. F. Baker and P. F. HardtGrass Tetany: A Review

Use of Animal Breeds and Breeding to Overcome the Incidence of

1989, 67:3463-3469.J ANIM SCI

http://jas.fass.org/content/67/12/3463services, is located on the World Wide Web at:

The online version of this article, along with updated information and

www.asas.org

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U S E O F A N I M A L B R E E D S A N D B R E E D I N G T O O V E R C O M ET H E I N C I D E N C E O F G R A S S T E T A N Y : A R E V I E W 1

L . W . G r e e ne , J . F . B a ke r a nd P . F . H a r d tT e xa s A gr i c u l t u r a l E xpe r i m e n t S t a t i ona n d T e x a s A & M U n i v e r s i t y2 ,3 Col lege S ta t ion 77843

A B S T R A C TB r i t i s h b r e e ds o f c a t t l e a r e no t s o e f f e c t i ve a s Z e bu i n e x t r a c t i ng nu t r i e n t s f r om l ow -qua l i t y rougha g e s , a nd t he s e b r e e ds d i f f e r i n t he i r nu t r ie n t m e t a bo l i s m a nd a n i m a lphys i o l og y . B r e e ds o f c a tt l e m a y d i f f e r i n t he i r r e qu i r e m e n t s f o r M g . B r a hm a n c ow s a r el e s s s u s c e p t i b l e t o de a t h f r om d i s e a s e a nd m e t a bo l i c d i s o r de r s t ha n a r e B r i t i s h b r e e ds o fc a t t l e , w he r e a s c ow s w i t h 50% o r g r e a t e r da i r y b r e e d i ng ( H o l s t e i n a nd J e r s e y ) a r e m or e

s us c e p ti b l e tha n B r i t i sh o r B r a h m a n b r e e ds w he n m a i n t a ine d i n be e f p r oduc t i on he r ds .B r a hm a n o r B r a hm a n c r o s s b r e d c ow s a r e l e s s s u s c e p t i b l e t ha n o t he r b r e e ds t o m e t a bo l i cd i s o r de r s s uc h a s g r a s s t e t a ny . M a gne s i um a bs o r p t i on ha s be e n s how n t o be g r e a t e r i nB r a hm a n t ha n i n J e r s e y , H o l s t e i n a nd H e r e f o r d c ow s . T he s e d i f f e r e nc e s i n t he e f f i c i e nc y o fM g a b s o r p t ion be t w e e n d i f f e r e n t b r e e ds o f c ow s m a y be due t o ge ne t i c va r ia t i on i n thea bs o r p t i ve m e c ha n i s m s o f M g , i n f e e d i ng be ha v i o r , i n ga s t r o i n t e s t i na l t r a c t m o t i l i t y , i ngas t ro in te s t ina l t r ac t f i l l o r to some combina t ion .( K e y W or ds : G r a s s T e t a ny , B r e eds , M a gne s i um , N u t r i e n t U p t a ke . )J. Anita. Sci. 1989. 67:3463-3469

Ge net ic Background Ef fects onNu tr ient Metabol imn and U t i li za t ionE nv i r onm e n t a l c ond i t i ons ( t e m pe r a t u r e , r e l -a t ive hum i d i t y , f o r a ge t ype ) a nd p r odu c t i onpo t e n t i a l ge ne r a l l y d i c t a t e t he t ype o f c a t t l ef ound i n a ny ge og r a ph i c a l l oc a t i on . Z e bu ( B o sind icus ) a nd Z e bu b r e e ds c r o s s e d w i t h B o s

t a u r u s br e e ds a r e m or e p r e va l e n t a nd e f f i c i e n tt h a n B o s t a u r u s in the southe rn U .S . , e spe -c i a l ly f o r g r a z i ng na t i ve r a nge s. F r e nc h ( 1940 )s ugge s t e d t ha t s e l e c t i on o f E u r ope a n m i l k i ngb r e e ds w a s ba s e d on e f f e c t i ve u s e o f l a r gequa n t i ti e s o f f e e d , w he r e a s I nd i a n Z e bu b r e e ds

1presented at a symposium titled "Magnesium Metabo-lism and Grass Tctany" at the ASAS 80th Annu. Mtg., NewBrunswick, NJ.2jonmal paper TA 24055. Texas A&M Univ., TexasAgric. Exp. Sta. Dept. of Anita. Sci. Appreciation is ex-pressed to the Texas Agric. Exp. St& staff located at theMcGregor Research Center, McGregor, TX for their assis-tance in managing the research herd that was used to collecta portion of this data.3Reference to a company or trade name does not implyapproval or endorsement by the Texas Agile. Exp. Sta.Received November 4, 1988.Accepted March 3, 1989.

w e r e a b l e t o s u r v i ve a nd m a ke e f f i c i e n t u s e o fs m a l l e r qua n t i fi e s o f f e e d . T h i s s ugge s t e d t ha tt he nu t r i t i ona l r e qu i r e m e n t s r e c om m e nde d f o rE ur ope a n c a t t l e w e r e no t a pp l i c a b l e f o r Z e bua nd t ha t t he re w e r e d i f f e r e nc e s be t w e e n b r e e dsin the i r ab i l i ty to d iges t f eeds tuf f s . Fol lowingt he r e s e a r c h o f F r e nc h ( 1940 ) , o t he r s c i e n t i s t sr e po r t e d s i gn i f i c a n t d i f f e r e nc e s i n nu t r i e n tu t i l i z a t i on be t w e e n va r i ous b r e e ds o f c a t t l e( D uc kw or t h , 1946 ; H ow e s , 1963 ; V e r c oe ,1967; Schne ide r and F la t t , 1975) . Phi l l ips( 1960 ) , B e r m a n ( 1963 ) , P os t ( 1965 ) a ndOlbr ich e t a l . (1972, 1973) sugges ted tha tc ons i de r a b l e ge ne t i c va r i a t i on e x i s ts i n nu t r i e n tm e t a bo l i s m . L e m e na g e r e t a l. ( 1980 ) , F e r r e l la nd J e nk i n s ( 1984 ) a nd S o l i s e t a l . ( 1988 )c onduc t e d r e s e a r c h s t ud i e s t o de m ons t r a t ege ne t i c va r i a t i on i n e ne r gy r e qu i r e m e n t s .T he s e da t a p r ov i de e v i de nc e t ha t b r e e ds d i f f e ri n t he i r e f f i c i e nc i e s o f nu t r i e n t a b s o r p t i on a ndm e t a bo l i s m . O t he r r e v i e w s ( N a ti ona l A c a de m yof S c i e nc e s , 1975 ) ha v e be e n w r i t t e n t o a s se s st he e f f e c t s o f ge ne t i c va r i a nc e on nu t r i ti ona ls t a t u s o f a n i m a l s . T he r e m a i nde r o f t h i s pa pe rw i l l f oc us on b r e e d d i f f e r e nc e s i n m i ne r a lm e t a bo l i s m , w i t h e m pha s i s on m i ne r a l s t ha ta r e i m p l i c a t e d i n g r a ss t e t any .

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3 4 6 4 GREENE ET AL.G r a s s T e t a n y in D i f f e re n t B r e e d s o f C a t t le

Ro h re r e t a l . (1 9 8 8 ) s t u d i ed t h e cu l l i n gp r a c t i c e s u s e d o n c o w s p r o d u c e d i n a f i v e -b r e e d d i a l l e l a s d e s c r i b e d b y L o n g e t a l .( 1 9 7 9 a , b ) . F i v e p u r e b r e d ( A n g u s , B r a h m a n ,H e r e f o r d , H o l s t e i n a n d J e r s e y ) g r o u p s a n d 1 0c r o s s b r e d g r o u p s ( r e c i p r o c a l c r o s s e s p o o l e d )w e r e u s e d i n t h e i r s t u d y . B r e e d - t y p e s c o n t a i n -i n g B r a h m a n b r e e d i n g h a d t h e l o n g e s t p r o d u c -t i v e l i f e s p a n , w h e r e a s b r e e d - t y p e s c o m p o s e do f 1 0 0 % d a i r y b r e e d s h a d t h e s h o r t e s t . A na v e r a g e o f 2 3 . 1 % o f t h e c o w s d i e d d u e t o ad i s e a s e o r m e t a b o l i c d i s o r d e r o v e r t h e1 4 - y r p e r i o d , w i t h a r a n g e f r o m 0 % f o rB r a h m a n x J e r s e y t o 6 8 .4 % f o r J e rs e y c o w s .W h e n t h e s e d a t a w e r e s u m m a r i z e d b y b r e e d -ty p e (d a i ry = Ho l s t e in o r Je r sey ; Br i t i sh =A n g u s o r H e r e f o rd ; Z e b u = B r a h m a n ; t w o - w a yc r o s s b r e d s w e r e i n c l u d e d i n b o t h p a r e n tb reed s ) , 2 7 .5 , 1 9 .9 an d 9 .7 % o f t h e ca t t l e wi thd a i r y , B r i t i s h a n d Z e b u b r e e d i n g , r e s p e c t i v e l y ,w e r e c u l l e d f r o m t h e h e r d d u e t o d i s e a s e o r t oa m e t a b o l i c d i s o r d e r .T h e a v e r a g e i n c i d e n c e o f c o w r e m o v a l d u et o n u t r i t i o n a l a b n o r m a l i t i e s w a s 7 . 0 % . N u t r i -t i o n a l a b n o r m a l i t i e s ( m i n e r a l i m b a l a n c e s a n db l o a t ) w e r e m o s t f r e q u e n t in A n g u s , J e r s e y a n dH o l s t e i n x J e r s e y c o w s . A l a r g e r p e r c e n t o fA n g u s c o w s l e f t t h e h e r d d u e t o n u t r i t i o n a lr e a s o n s t h a n a n y o t h e r b r e e d . A l s o , i t i ss u s p e c t e d t h a t t h e c a u s e o f d e a t h f o r c o w sd y i n g f r o m u n k n o w n c a u s e s w a s e i t h e r a nu n d e t e c t e d i l l n e s s p r i o r t o d e a t h o r a m i n e r a li m b a l a n c e ( g r a s s t e t a n y o r m i l k f e v e r ) . D e a t hf r o m u n k n o w n c a u s e s w a s t h e l e a d i n g r e a s o nf o r re m o v a l o f c o w s w i th 1 0 0 % d a i r y b r e e d-i n g . T h e c o m b i n e d d a t a f o r c o w s r e m o v e d f o rg en e ra l i l l n e ss , n u t r i t i o n a l ab n o rma l i t i e s an du n k n o w n c a u s e s s u g g e s t t h at c o w s w i t h a v e r yh i g h p o t e n t i a l f o r m i l k p r o d u c t i o n a r e m o r es u s c e p t i b l e t o d i s e a s e s a n d t o m i n e r a l i m b a l -a n c e s t h a n a r e t h o s e o f l o w e r m i l k i n g p o t e n ti a lw h e n m a n a g e d i n a n e x t e n s i v e p r o d u c t i o ns y s t e m .O ' K e l l e y a n d F o n t e n o t ( 1 9 6 9 , 1 9 7 3 ) r e -p o r t e d t h a t t h e r e q u i r e m e n t f o r M g i n c r e a s e da p p r o x i m a t e l y t w o f o l d w i t h l a c t a t i o n . B e c a u s eM g a n d C a a r e r e q u i r e d i n e n e r g y - y i e l d i n gp a t h w a y s , t h e i r p h y s i o l o g i c a l u s e a s w e l l a st h e ir s e c r e t i o n i n m i l k c e r t a i n l y w o u l d i n c r e a s ea s m i l k y i e l d i n c r e a s e d . T h i s w a s s u p p o r t e d b yF o n t e n o t ( 1 9 7 9 ) , w h o r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e i n c i -d e n c e o f g r a s s t e t a n y w a s h i g h e s t i n t h eh i g h e s t - p r o d u c i n g c o w s o f a h e r d. H a r d t e t a l.( 1 9 8 9 ) r e p o r t e d t h a t d u r i n g m i d - l a c t a t i o n ,

s e r u m C a w a s c o r r e l a t e d p o s i t i v e l y ( r = . 4 9 )w i t h m i l k y i e l d f o r H e r e f o r d x H o l s t e i n c o w sb u t n o t f o r H e r e f o r d o r H e r e f o r d x J e r s e yc o w s . A s d a y s o f la c t a t io n i n c r e a s e d , s e r u m C aw a s n e g a t i v e l y c o r r e l a t e d w i t h m i l k y i e l d f o rH e r e f o r d ( r = - . 4 6 ) a n d H e r e f o r d x H o l s t e i n ( r= - . 6 7 ) b u t n o t f o r H e r e f o r d x J e r s e y ( r =- . 2 2 ) .U s i n g t h e c o w h e r d a t t h e T e x a s A & MU n i v e r s i t y A g r i c u l t u r a l R e s e a r c h C e n t e r a tM c G r e g o r ( L o n g e t a l . , 1 9 7 9 a , b ) , G r e e n e e t a l .( 1 9 8 5 ) r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e i n c id e n c e o f s u s p e c t e dg r a s s t e t a n y c a s e s d i f f e r e d i n d i f f e r e n t b r e e d so f c o w s . D a t a w e r e c o l l e ct e d f r o m F e b r u a r y1 9 8 0 t o F e b r u a r y 1 9 8 4 . B r e e d g r o u p s w e r eg e n e r a t e d b y p o o l i n g m a j o r b r e e d s ( A n g u s ,B r a h m a n , H e r e f o r d , H o l s t e i n a n d J e r s e y ) w i t ha l l c r o s s b r e e d s o f t h a t r e s p e c t i v e g r o u p . T h e r e -f o r e , t w o - w a y c r o s s b r e d c a t t l e ( r e c i p r o c a lc r o s s e s p o o l e d ) w e r e i n c l u d e d w i t h b o t h p a r e n tb r e e d s . O f f s p r i n g f r o m t h e m a t i n g s o f p a r e n ta lt y p e s o f c a t t l e w e r e i n c l u d e d i n t h e d a t a w h e nt h e y b e c a m e 2 y r o f a ge . T h e c o w s u s e di n c l u d e d t h o s e o f R o h r e r e t a l . (1 9 8 8 ) a n ds e c o n d - g e n e r a t i o n h e i f e r s f r o m t h o s e c o w s .T h e c a l v i n g s e a s o n w a s c o n t i n u o u s t h r o u g h o u tt h e y e a r . C a t t l e t h a t w e r e p a l p a t e d a n d f o u n dt o b e o p e n a f t e r 1 8 m o w e r e c u l l e d f r o m t h eh e r d a s d e s c r i b e d b y R o h r e r e t a l . (1 9 8 8 ). O n c ep e r m o n t h , c o w s t h a t w e r e s c h e d u l e d t o c a l v ed u r i n g t h e n e x t 3 0 - d p e r i o d w e r e r e m o v e df r o m t h e h e r d a n d m a i n t a i n e d i n a c a l v i n gh e r d . C o w s w e r e m o v e d t o a n u r s e ry h e r ds h o r t ly a f t e r p a r t u r it i o n . T h i s h e r d w a s c o m -p o s e d o f c o w - c a l f p a i r s w i t h c a l v e s b e t w e e nt h e a g e s o f 1 d a n d 1 m o . C o w s w i t h c a l v e sg r e a te r th a n 4 w k o l d w e r e r e m o v e d f r o m t hi sh e rd an d re tu rn ed mo n th ly t o t h e o r i g in a l h e rd .C a t t l e g r a z e d K l e i n g r a s s a n d n a t i v e g r a s sp a s t u r e s c o n t a i n i n g p r e d o m i n a t e l y l i t t l e b l u e -s t e m , K i n g R a n c h b l u e s t e m , y e l l o w i n d i a n -g r a s s , H a l l s p a n i c u m a n d f o r b s d u r i n g l a t esp r in g t o fa l l . Du r in g l a t e fa l l t o sp r i n g , ca t t l eg r a z e d p r e d o m i n a t e l y s m a l l - g r a i n f o r a g e s( w i n t e r o a t s a n d w h e a t ) . C a t t l e r o u t i n e l y w e r es u p p l i e d , f r e e - c h o i c e , w i t h a m i n e r a l s u p p l e -m e n t ( T a b l e 1 ) c o n t a i n i n g 4 % M g . D u r i n g t h ep e r i o d o f g r a z i n g s m a l l - g r a i n f o r a g e s , M gc o n t e n t o f t h e m i n e r a l s u p p l e m e n t w a s r a i s e dt o 1 4 % . G r a s s h a y a n d a s a l t - l i m i t e d c o n c e n -t r a t e w e r e f e d w h e n p a s t u r e f o r a g e s u p p l y w a si n a d e q u a t e . T h e s u p p l e m e n t a l s a l t - l i m i t e d c o n -c e n t r a t e c o n t a i n e d 5 5 % g r o u n d m i l o , 3 4 %s o y b e a n m e a l o r c o t t o n s ee d m e a l , 4 % u r e a a n d3 % d i c a l c i u m p h o s p h a t e . W h e n c a t t l e w e r e

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PREVENTION OF GRA SS TETANY 34 65TAB LE 1. MINERALCOMPOSITIONOF SUPPLEMENTS

Minr 4% M ~' ]4% Mg bCalcium 17.6 5.0Phosphorus 21.2 3.5aSauth Texas Range Mineral No. 5 W/MG . W est FlourMill, Inc., W est TX 76691.

bWest Grazing Mineral-14 Mg. W est Flour M ill, Inc.West TX 76691.

s us pe c t e d o f ha v i ng g r a s s t e t a ny , t he y w e r et r e a te d i. v . w i th 500 m l o f a M g a nd C as o l u t i on , w h i c h c on t a i ne d 10 , 2 . 76 , 6 . 03 a nd75 g o f C a , M g , P a nd de x t r o s e m onohy dr a t e ,r e s pe c t i ve l y .N um be r s o f c at t le i n t he he r d a t t hebe g i nn i ng o f the 4 - y r pe r i od a r e s how n i nT a b l e 2 . T h e b r e e d g r o u p s f o r A n g u s ,B r a hm a n , H e r e f o r d , H o l s t e i n a nd J e r s e y c on -ta ined 228, 210 , 335 , 227 and 230 ca t t l e ,r e s pe c t i ve l y . C r os s b r e d c ow s w e r e i nc l ude d i ne a c h pa r e n t b r e e d g r oup . N i ne t y - f ou r pe r c e n to f t he s u s pe c t e d g r a s s t e t a ny c a s e s oc c u r r e dbe t w e e n D e c e m be r a nd A pr i l ( T a b l e 2 ) . T h i spe r i od c o r r e s ponds t o t he g r a z i ng pe r i od f o rw i n t e r pa s t u r e s . G r a s s t e t a ny ha s be e n ob -s e r ve d m os t f r e que n t l y i n r um i na n t s g r a z i nglush growing forages , e spec ia l ly sma l l g ra ins(Li t t l ed ike and Cox, 1979) . Sma l l -gra in for -a ge s c on t a i n a s m uc h a s 5 . 0% K on a d r yma t te r bas i s (M i l le r, 1939 ) and a re r e la t ive lyh i gh i n o r ga n i c ac i d s t ha t ha ve be e n i m p l i c a t edin gra s s t e tany (S lepe r , 1979) .B e t w e e n M a y 1 98 3 a n d M a y 1 9 8 4, n oi nc i de nc e s o f t e t a ny w e r e r e c o r de d . T h i sprobably i s r e la ted to a shor tage of sma l l -gra inf o r a ge s du r i ng t he w i n t e r a nd s p r i ng g r a z i ngpe r i ods o f 1984 . D ur ing t h i s t i m e , e nv i r onm e n-

t a l c ond i t i ons w e r e no t c onduc i ve t o a de qua t ew he a t o r oa t p r oduc t i on a t t he A gr i c u l t u r a lR e s e a r c h C e n t e r . T hus , c a t t l e w e r e m a i n t a i ne don na t i ve g r a s s e s , ha y a nd s upp l e m e n t a le ne r gy .T h i r t y - t w o c a t t l e w e r e s u s pe c t e d o f ha v i nggrass t e tany dur ing the 4-pe r iod , r e su l t ing in ahe r d m e a n o f 1 . 1% pe r ye a r ( T a b l e 3 ) . N o c oww a s ve r i f i e d a s ha v i ng t h i s m a l a dy a s e c ondt i m e w i t h i n t he 4 - y r pe r i od . F on t e no t ( 1979 )indica ted tha t gra s s t e tany occur red in l e s s than1% o f t he a du l t r um i na n t f e m a l e popu l a t i onpe r ye a r , a l t hough t he i nc i de nc e w a s h i ghe r i ni nd i v i dua l he r d s . E xp r e s s e d a s a pe r c e n t a ge o ft he i r b r e e d g r oups , c a t t l e w i t h A ngus b r e e d i ngha d a h i ghe r ( P < . 06 ) i nc i de nc e o f g r a s s