Can neutral dietary cation–anion difference (DCAD) decrease occurrence of clinical periparturient hypocalcaemia in dairy cattle?

Background: Adjusting the dietary cation–anion difference (DCAD) is one of the most efficient ways to stimulate calcium homeostasis in periparturient dairy cattle. However, adjusting DCAD to the recommended negative values (−100 to −150 mEq/kg) is associated with decreased food intake and metabolic acidosis. The critical conditions of the animals at peripartum (i.e. drastic hormonal changes, decreased appetite and negative energy balance) can be detrimental to the health, productivity and welfare of the animals if combined with decreased feed intake caused by unpalatable acidogenic salts. Methods: In a cross‐sectional study, we analysed the ration of eight small to large dairy herds with intensive husbandry systems, including 6949 dry cows. Sodium, potassium, chlorine and sulfur concentrations in the feed were determined and DCAD was calculated. The DCAD of the ration of the farms ranged from –33.5 to +24.7 mEq/kg. Parturient paresis (PP, or milk fever) prevalence was investigated and correlated to DCAD values. Results: Clinical PP occurrence in the dairies of this investigation on average declined by 87% (ranging from a 97% decline to 5% increase). This indicates that adjusting DCAD at neutral values (0 ± 30 mEq/kg range) may both lower the PP prevalence and increase ration palatability by lowering acidogenic salts in the ration. Conclusions: Further research is recommended to investigate the effects of neutral DCAD on subclinical hypocalcaemia and food intake of the cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]