Impact of peripartum oral administration of calcium and difructose anhydride III (DFA III) on blood calcium levels and the development of peripartum diseases in dairy cows

Difructose anhydride III (DFA III) is an oligosaccharide consisting of two linked fructose residues. It has been reported to enhance calcium absorption in rats and to be hardly decomposed by rumen microorganisms in cows. It has also been reported that giving DFA III to close-up dry cows (last three weeks before calving), along with a low-calcium concentrate feed, prevented the decline of blood calcium levels at the time of calving. Therefore, we examined methods of feeding DFA III along with concentrate feed with different calcium content and the effectiveness of postpartum oral administration of a calcium-DFA III combination supplement by analyzing the changes in the blood calcium levels. We also studied the effects of administering DFA III during the dry period on the prevention of peripartum diseases in ordinary dairy farms. Treatment Group 1 was given a concentrate feed containing 0.19% calcium by dry weight, and also received DFA III during close-up and postpartum. The blood calcium level in this treatment group at the time of calving was 7.2mg/dl. Treatment Groups 2 and 3 received concentrate feed containing 1.06% calcium. In addition, Group 2 received DFA III during the early dry period, and at close-up and postpartum, and group 3 received DFA III only during close-up. The blood calcium level in treatment groups 2 and 3 at the time of calving was 7.9 and 8.0mg/dl, respectively. In particular, treatment group 3, which had received neither added calcium nor DFA III after calving, experienced a delay in the recovery of the postpartum blood calcium level, the level being 7.7+-0.7mg/dl at 24 hours postpartum, which was lower than the levels recorded at 0 and 6 hours. The feeding study of DFA III in ordinary dairy farms showed that the proportion of the studied cows showing an incidence of peripartum diseases associated with hypocalcemia declined from 42% in the control year when DFA III was not administered to 15.2% in the test year when DFA III was given. The above findings indicated that DFA III given during the dry period and an oral calcium-DFA III combination supplement given postpartum may relieve postpartum hypocalcemia and also lower the incidence of related peripartum diseases.