Controlling Grass Tetany

Grass tetany is a nutritional\ndisease that occurs in beef and\ndairy cattle and sometimes sheep.\nDeficient levels of magnesium in\nthe diet cause the disease, which is\nresponsible for the deaths of many\ncows in the United States and\nother countries. Grass tetany is\nsometimes called hypomagnesemic\ntetany, lactation tetany, grass staggers,\nor winter tetany.\nCows are particularly susceptible\nto tetany when nursing a calf or\nproducing milk. Sometimes pregnant\nanimals die from the condition.\nOlder cows are more susceptible\nthan those with their first or\nsecond calves. Also, cows that are\nherded or worked may be more\nsusceptible to the disease.