Assessment or peripartum calcium levels in goats

Abstract

Puerperal hypocalcemia is a condition that manifests itself in ruminants by a decrease in calcium levels after parturition, due to the onset of lactation. This condition can have serious consequences for the animal's health, manifesting itself through neurological and motor disorders that present as clinical signs. Although this pathology has been extensively studied in cattle, there are still unknowns in goats, especially in relation to how calcium evolves during peripartum, a crucial stage in the reproductive cycle. In order to improve the knowledge about this pathology in goats and provide useful data for its prevention and treatment, a study was carried out in Canary Island goats of the Majorera variety, known for their high dairy aptitude. The study evaluated calcium levels from 48 hours before calving to 96 hours after calving, in order to understand and analyze the variation of these levels during peripartum in these goats. The detailed analysis of calcium dynamics in the peripartum of Majorero goats can provide valuable information for the proper management and care of these species at the critical time of parturition and the onset of lactation. The study can help identify possible strategies to prevent puerperal hypocalcemia and improve the health and productivity of goats at these critical stages of their life cycle.