title: Use of 24-F-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 to prevent parturient paresis in dairy cows.
abstract: Forty-one aged Jersey cows were fed a high Ca diet prior to parturition to predispose them to parturient paresis. Twenty-one of the cows were treated with 24-F-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, a synthetic analogue of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, 7 d before the expected parturition. Treated cows received either 100 micrograms (n = 7) or 150 micrograms (n = 14) of 24-F-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, intramuscularly at 7-d intervals until the cow calved. Incidence of parturient paresis among untreated animals was 85% (17/20). Injections of 100 micrograms of 24-F-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 reduced the incidence of parturient paresis to 43% (3/7), whereas 150 micrograms injections of 24-F-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 reduced the incidence of parturient paresis to 29% (4/14). Plasma concentrations of hydroxyproline were not elevated prior to parturition in 24-F-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-treated cows, indicating that treatment did not stimulate bone resorption and that the ability of 24-F-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 to prevent parturient paresis likely resides in its ability to stimulate intestinal Ca absorption prior to parturition. Further, cows treated with 24-F-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 that developed parturient paresis had lower than normal plasma concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, indicating that 24-F-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 treatment impairs the metabolism of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in response to hypocalcemia. These data suggest that injection of 24-F-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, delivered at 7-d intervals prior to parturition, can effectively reduce incidence of parturient paresis in dairy cows.
authors.affiliation: National Animal Disease Center, Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA 50010.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Goff
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Horst
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Beitz
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Littledike
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000097:blood; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010319:Parturient Paresis / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; C048149:24-fluoro-1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol; D003404:Creatinine; D002117:Calcitriol; D006909:Hydroxyproline; D002118:Calcium