Diminished prepartal plasma calcitonin concentration on cows developing parturient hypocalcemia

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Endocrinology
• Animal Science

Background:

• Parturient hypocalcemia is a significant metabolic disorder in dairy cows.
• Calcitonin plays a role in calcium homeostasis, but its involvement in parturient hypocalcemia is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between plasma calcitonin concentrations and the development of hypocalcemia in dairy cows around parturition.
• To determine if increased calcitonin secretion is associated with severe hypocalcemia or parturient paresis.

Main Methods:

• Collected 581 plasma samples from 20 cows over a period spanning 1 month before and 1 month after parturition.
• Grouped cows based on hypocalcemia severity: parturient paresis, nonparetic hypocalcemia, and control.
• Measured immunoreactive calcitonin and calcium concentrations in plasma samples.

Main Results:

• Severe hypocalcemia in both parturient paresis and nonparetic hypocalcemic groups was not associated with increased plasma calcitonin.
• Plasma calcitonin concentrations were lower in hypocalcemic groups compared to controls during the periparturient period.
• Lower prepartal calcitonin levels correlated with more severe hypocalcemia at parturition (r=0.57, p<0.005).

Conclusions:

• The development of hypocalcemia at parturition is not caused by increased calcitonin secretion.
• Diminished prepartal calcitonin secretion may be a contributing factor to parturient hypocalcemia in dairy cows.