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Metabolic Disorders

Homeostasis is the process whereby the body maintains a constant temperature, heart and respiratory rate and also ensures that the levels of various chemicals in the blood remain within a constant range.

For example, when there is a sudden increase in demand for calcium (e.g. immediately after calving), the cow may not be able to draw calcium from her ‘stores’ (mainly bone and intestinal contents) rapidly enough to satisfy her requirements. Blood calcium levels then fall, muscle function is lost and the cow sinks to the ground with milk fever and is unable to rise.

It is not that there is insufficient calcium in the diet, or even insufficient stored in the body. It is simply that the cow is unable to cope with the sudden increase in demand for calcium sufficiently rapidly to avoid the short-term drop in blood calcium which follows. The resulting disorder is known as a metabolic disease.

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Source: Blowey R.W.. A Veterinary Book for Dairy Farmers. 3rd Edition. — Old Pond Publishing,1999. — 480 p.. 1999
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