Early postpartum calcium dysregulation is associated with acute phase responses in multiparous Holsteins

During the transition into lactation, multiparous Holstein cows commonly experience calcium dysregulation at 4 DIM. This condition, also known as dyscalcemia, has been associated with increased risk of disease, decreased intake and produc­tion, and poor reproductive performance. It is also common for early lactation cows to experience systemic inflammation immediately following parturition. More sustained or severe bouts of postpartum inflammation have been associated with suboptimal outcomes, similar to those experienced by dyscal­cemic cows. The acute phase response, an important inflam­matory process mediated by the liver, can serve as a marker for systemic inflammation, therefore the objective of this study was to explore differences in the acute phase response between cows with and without dyscalcemia. We hypothesized that cows with dyscalcemia would experience more extreme acute phase responses than eucalcemic cows.