Use of Animal Breeds and Breeding to Overcome the Incidence of Grass Tetany: A Review L. W. Greene, J. F. Baker and P. F.

Hardt J ANIM SCI 1989, 67:3463-3469.

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USE OF ANIMAL BREEDS AND BREEDING TO OVERCOME THE INCIDENCE OF GRASS TETANY: A REVIEW 1
L. W. Greene, J. F. Baker and P. F. Hardt Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and Texas A&M University2,3 College Station 77843
ABSTRACT

British breeds of cattle are not so effective as Zebu in extracting nutrients from lowquality roughages, and these breeds differ in their nutrient metabolism and animal physiology. Breeds of cattle may differ in their requirements for Mg. Brahman cows are less susceptible to death from disease and metabolic disorders than are British breeds of cattle, whereas cows with 50% or greater dairy breeding (Holstein and Jersey) are more susceptible than British or Brahman breeds when maintained in beef production herds. Brahman or Brahman crossbred cows are less susceptible than other breeds to metabolic disorders such as grass tetany. Magnesium absorption has been shown to be greater in Brahman than in Jersey, Holstein and Hereford cows. These differences in the efficiency of Mg absorption between different breeds of cows may be due to genetic variation in the absorptive mechanisms of Mg, in feeding behavior, in gastrointestinal tract motility, in gastrointestinal tract fill or to some combination. (Key Words: Grass Tetany, Breeds, Magnesium, Nutrient Uptake.)
J. Anita. Sci. 1989. 67:3463-3469

Genetic Background Effects o n Nutrient Metabolimn and Utilization

Environmental conditions (temperature, relative humidity, forage type) and production potential generally dictate the type of cattle found in any geographical location. Zebu (Bos indicus) and Zebu breeds crossed with Bos taurus breeds are more prevalent and efficient than Bos taurus in the southern U.S., especially for grazing native ranges. French (1940) suggested that selection of European milking breeds was based on effective use of large quantities of feed, whereas Indian Zebu breeds

1presented at a symposium titled "Magnesium Metabolism and Grass Tctany" at the ASAS 80th Annu. Mtg., New Brunswick, NJ. 2jonmal paper TA 24055. Texas A&M Univ., Texas Agric. Exp. Sta. Dept. of Anita. Sci. Appreciation is expressed to the Texas Agric. Exp. St& staff located at the McGregor Research Center, McGregor, TX for their assistance in managing the research herd that was used to collect a portion of this data. 3Reference to a company or trade name does not imply approval or endorsement by the Texas Agile. Exp. Sta. Received November 4, 1988. Accepted March 3, 1989.

were able to survive and make efficient use of smaller quantifies of feed. This suggested that the nutritional requirements recommended for European cattle were not applicable for Zebu and that there were differences between breeds in their ability to digest feedstuffs. Following the research of French (1940), other scientists reported significant differences in nutrient utilization between various breeds of cattle (Duckworth, 1946; Howes, 1963; Vercoe, 1967; Schneider and Flatt, 1975). Phillips (1960), Berman (1963), Post (1965) and Olbrich et al. (1972, 1973) suggested that considerable genetic variation exists in nutrient metabolism. Lemenager et al. (1980), Ferrell and Jenkins (1984) and Solis et al. (1988) conducted research studies to demonstrate genetic variation in energy requirements. These data provide evidence that breeds differ in their efficiencies of nutrient absorption and metabolism. Other reviews (National Academy of Sciences, 1975) have been written to assess the effects of genetic variance on nutritional status of animals. The remainder of this paper will focus on breed differences in mineral metabolism, with emphasis on minerals that are implicated in grass tetany.

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serum Ca was correlated positively (r = .49) with milk yield for Hereford x Holstein cows Rohrer et al. (1988) studied the culling but not for Hereford or Hereford x Jersey practices used on cows produced in a five- cows. As days of lactation increased, serum Ca breed diallel as described by Long et al. was negatively correlated with milk yield for (1979a,b). Five purebred (Angus, Brahman, Hereford (r = -.46) and Hereford x Holstein (r Hereford, Holstein and Jersey) groups and 10 = -.67) but not for Hereford x Jersey (r = crossbred groups (reciprocal crosses pooled) -.22). were used in their study. Breed-types containUsing the cow herd at the Texas A&M ing Brahman breeding had the longest produc- University Agricultural Research Center at tive life span, whereas breed-types composed McGregor (Long et al., 1979a,b), Greene et al. of 100% dairy breeds had the shortest. An (1985) reported that the incidence of suspected average of 23.1% of the cows died due to a grass tetany cases differed in different breeds disease or metabolic disorder over the of cows. Data were collected from February 14-yr period, with a range from 0% for 1980 to February 1984. Breed groups were Brahman x Jersey to 68.4% for Jersey cows. generated by pooling major breeds (Angus, When these data were summarized by breed- Brahman, Hereford, Holstein and Jersey) with type (dairy = Holstein or Jersey; British = all crossbreeds of that respective group. ThereAngus or Hereford; Zebu = Brahman; two-way fore, two-way crossbred cattle (reciprocal crossbreds were included in both parent crosses pooled) were included with both parent breeds), 27.5, 19.9 and 9.7% of the cattle with breeds. Offspring from the matings of parental dairy, British and Zebu breeding, respectively, types of cattle were included in the data when were culled from the herd due to disease or to they became 2 yr of age. The cows used a metabolic disorder. included those of Rohrer et al. (1988) and The average incidence of cow removal due second-generation heifers from those cows. to nutritional abnormalities was 7.0%. Nutri- The calving season was continuous throughout tional abnormalities (mineral imbalances and the year. Cattle that were palpated and found bloat) were most frequent in Angus, Jersey and to be open after 18 mo were culled from the Holstein x Jersey cows. A larger percent of herd as described by Rohrer et al. (1988). Once Angus cows left the herd due to nutritional per month, cows that were scheduled to calve reasons than any other breed. Also, it is during the next 30-d period were removed suspected that the cause of death for cows from the herd and maintained in a calving dying from unknown causes was either an herd. Cows were moved to a nursery herd undetected illness prior to death or a mineral imbalance (grass tetany or milk fever). Death shortly after parturition. This herd was comfrom unknown causes was the leading reason posed of cow-calf pairs with calves between for removal of cows with 100% dairy breed- the ages of 1 d and 1 mo. Cows with calves ing. The combined data for cows removed for greater than 4 wk old were removed from this general illness, nutritional abnormalities and herd and returned monthly to the original herd. Cattle grazed Kleingrass and native grass unknown causes suggest that cows with a very high potential for milk production are more pastures containing predominately little bluesusceptible to diseases and to mineral imbal- stem, King Ranch bluestem, yellow indianances than are those of lower milking potential grass, Halls panicum and forbs during late when managed in an extensive production spring to fall. During late fall to spring, cattle grazed predominately small-grain forages system. O'Kelley and Fontenot (1969, 1973) re- (winter oats and wheat). Cattle routinely were ported that the requirement for Mg increased supplied, free-choice, with a mineral suppleapproximately twofold with lactation. Because ment (Table 1) containing 4% Mg. During the Mg and Ca are required in energy-yielding period of grazing small-grain forages, Mg pathways, their physiological use as well as content of the mineral supplement was raised their secretion in milk certainly would increase to 14%. Grass hay and a salt-limited concenas milk yield increased. This was supported by trate were fed when pasture forage supply was Fontenot (1979), who reported that the inci- inadequate. The supplemental salt-limited condence of grass tetany was highest in the centrate contained 55% ground milo, 34% highest-producing cows of a herd. Hardt et al. soybean meal or cottonseed meal, 4% urea and (1989) reported that during mid-lactation, 3% dicalcium phosphate. When cattle were
Grass Tetany in Different Breeds of Cattle

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PREVENTION OF GRASS TETANY TABLE 1. MINERALCOMPOSITION OF SUPPLEMENTS

Minr 4% M~' ]4% Mg b

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Calcium 17.6 5.0 Phosphorus 21.2 3.5 aSauth TexasRange Mineral No. 5 W/MG.WestFlour Mill, Inc., West TX 76691. bWest Grazing Mineral-14 Mg. West Flour Mill, Inc. West TX 76691. < suspected of having grass tetany, they were treated i.v. with 500 ml of a Mg and Ca solution, which contained 10, 2.76, 6.03 and 75 g of Ca, Mg, P and dextrose monohydrate, respectively. Numbers of cattle in the herd at the beginning of the 4-yr period are shown in Table 2. The breed groups for Angus, Brahman, Hereford, Holstein and Jersey contained 228, 210, 335, 227 and 230 cattle, respectively. Crossbred cows were included in each parent breed group. Ninety-four percent of the suspected grass tetany cases occurred between December and April (Table 2). This period corresponds to the grazing period for winter pastures. Grass tetany has been observed most frequently in ruminants grazing lush growing forages, especially small grains (Littledike and Cox, 1979). Small-grain forages contain as much as 5.0% K on a dry matter basis (Miller, 1939) and are relatively high in organic acids that have been implicated in grass tetany (Sleper, 1979). Between May 1983 and May 1984, no incidences of tetany were recorded. This probably is related to a shortage of small-grain forages during the winter and spring grazing periods of 1984. During this time, environmental conditions were not conducive to adequate wheat or oat production at the Agricultural Research Center. Thus, cattle were maintained on native grasses, hay and supplemental energy. Thirty-two cattle were suspected of having grass tetany during the 4-period, resulting in a herd mean of 1.1% per year (Table 3). No cow was verified as having this malady a second time within the 4-yr period. Fontenot (1979) indicated that grass tetany occurred in less than 1% of the adult ruminant female population per year, although the incidence was higher in individual herds. Expressed as a percentage of their breed groups, cattle with Angus breeding had a higher (P < .06) incidence of grass
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TABLE 3. INCIDENCE OF SUSPECTED GRASS TETANY CASES DURING 4-YEAR PERIOD, SUMMARIZED BY BREED GROUP

Percentage of
Breed group j Angus Brahman Hereford Holstein Jersey Herd mean breedb groups 7.5 2.4 3.7 3.1 4.3 4.5 5:1.7 c 5:1.1 d 5:1.1 d 5:1.1 d 5:1.3 d

breeds in this herd may be associated with level of production or with the ability of different breeds of cattle to absorb and(or) metabolizable Mg, as well as with differences in milk production potential.
Apparent Magnesium Absorption in Different Breeds of Cows

aCrossbreds are included with both parent breeds.

blVleans 5: SEM for the 4-yr period.

C'dMeans with different superseripts differ (P < .05).

tetany than Brahman, Hereford, Holstein or Jersey cattle (1.9 vs .6, 1.0, .8 and 1.1% per year averaged over the 4-yr period, respectively). Cattle of Brahman breeding tended to have a lower (P < .10) incidence of grass tetany, and Hereford, Holstein and Jersey were intermediate. No cases of grass tetany were reported in straightbred Brahman cattle, but seven cases were observed in the straightbred Angus. Cows were suspected of having grass tetany if they displayed the physical symptoms of the disease and responded to i.v. infusion of a Ca, Mg, P dextrose solution. During the 4-yr period, six cattle suspected of having grass tetany were treated for the disease; they recovered and remained in the herd. Grass tetany did not recur in these cattle during the rest of the 4-yr experimental period. During the experimental period, 112 cattle were removed from the herd because of their failure to rebreed for two consecutive years or because of other health-related problems as described by Rohrer et al. (1988). Of those removed, 23.2% were deaths suspected to be from grass tetany. Suspected death from grass tetany was recorded when cows were found dead while grazing small grain forages and nursing young calves if no other reason for death was apparent. This loss represents a large monetary and management burden for cattle producers. Losses due to this disease cost producers the value of the cow and feed cost for the cow during gestation and cause problems associated with managing an orphan calf. In this herd, death from suspected grass tetany was the single most important reason for cow removal from the herd. The differences in the incidence of grass tetany between

Greene et al. (1986) reported on the apparent and predicted true absorption of Mg in mature cows of Angus, Brahman, Hereford, Holstein and Jersey breeds and their F1 crosses. Cattle were managed as described by Solis et al. (1988). Least square means of apparent and predicted true absorption are shown in Table 4. Apparent absorption of Mg (g/d) was less (P < .05) for Jersey, Holstein, Holstein x Jersey and Hereford cows than for Brahman, Brahman x Jersey and Brahman x Holstein cows. Although Holstein cows consumed 37% more (P < .05) Mg than Jersey, Mg absorption (g/d) was similar (P > .05) for these groups. Jersey cows absorbed less (P < .05) Mg than any other straighthred group except Holstein cows. With the exception of Angus, Brahman cows absorbed more (P < .05) Mg than any other straightbred group. When all stralghtbred and crossbred groups were considered, Brahman and Brahman-cross cows tended to absorb more Mg than any other breed group. The overall mean apparent availability of Mg was 31.2% (means for straightbred and crossbred cows were 29.2 and 32.2%, respectively). These data suggest that heterosis improved apparent availability of Mg by 3 percentage units. Within the straightbred group, Jersey had the lowest and Brahman had the highest (P < .05) apparent digestibility of Mg; Angus, Holstein and Hereford were intermediate. Apparent digestibility in straightbred Hereford and Holstein cows was lower (P < .05) than in Brahman cows. Of the crossbred groups, Brahman crosses had the highest apparent digestibility of Mg. Jersey, Angus x Hereford and Holstein x Jersey cows had a lower (P < .05) apparent digestibility of Mg than any cows with Brahman breeding. Digestibility of Mg by Angus- and Herefordcrossbred cows were intermediate. Although nlamerous production factors can increase the i~lcidence of tetany, the higher digestibility observed in Brahman cows could reduce the susceptibility of tetany in cows with Brahman breeding.

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PREVENTION OF GRASS TETANY TABLE4. LEAST SQUARESMEANSOF APPARENTAND PREDICTEDTRUE ABSORPTION OF MAGNESIUMIN COWS OF FIVE BREEDS AND THEIR CROSSESa Apparent absorption Breed Angus (A) Brahman (B) Hereford (He) Holstr Jersey (J) AB AHe AHo AJ BHe BHo BJ Hello HeJ HoJ SEh g/d 9.5bed 10.4ce 6.7d 6.4df 3.0f 9.2br'xt 7.5bd 8.7bed 7.8bed 9.6bede 12.9e 10.1bee 8.0bed 8.3bed 6.6d 1.0 % of intake 36.5bedef 40.6df 25.5beeg 25.8beeg 17.3g 38.4edf 23.0eg 26.9beeg 30.8bedeg 37.4bedf 46.4f 37.4bedf 24. Ibeg 36.5bear 21.18 4.6

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Predicted true absorption, % 70.7 (+ .9)be 77.0 (+ 10.1)b 46.5 (+ 10.9)~ 41.4 (+ 13.3)c 42.2 (+ 15.5)c 59.4 (+ 11.0)be 62.6 (+ 18.5)be 62.0 (+ 6.6)be 59.6 (+ 12.2)be 45.0 (+ 18.0)c 77.5 (+ 7.9)b 67.5 (+ 10.9)be 77.8 (+ 12.0)b 47.0 (+ 10.4)c 72.6 (:t: 8.6)b

aReeiprocal crosses pooled; reprinted from Greene et al. (1986) b'c'd'e'LgMeanswithin the same column without a commonletter in their superscripts differ (P < .05). hStandard error of mean.

True Mg digestibility was estimated as 62.7% averaged over all breed groups. This represents a 101% increase over the apparent Mg digestibility. Predicted true digestibility of Mg was greater (P < .05) in Brahman, Brahman x Holstein, Hereford x Holstein and Holstein x Jersey than in Hereford x Jersey, Hereford, Brahman x Hereford, Jersey and Holstein cows. Although the incidence of grass tetany was higher in Angus cattle than in Brahman and was intermediate for Hereford (Greene et al., 1985), the predicted true digestibility of Mg in Angus was not different (P < .05) from that in Brahman and was higher than that in Hereford cows. In a similar study, Chavez et al. (1988), using Simmental and Angus cows, reported that apparent availability of Mg was similar for the two breed groups, but that the predicted true digestibility of Mg was lower by Simmental than by Angus cows. The predicted endogenous excretion of Mg was greater for Angus than for Simmental COWS. In a review, Schneider and Flatt (1975) indicated that Brahman had a smaller digestive tract volume, which may shorten ruminal retention time and lead to more efficient digestion. Greene et al. (1983) indicated that most Mg is absorbed pre-intestinally. Grace and MacRae (1972) concluded that Mg absorption from the rumen of sheep was more efficient when animals were fed from continu-

ous-belt feeders than when they were fed once daily. The increase in rate of digesta flow through the rumen in Brahman may be beneficial in increasing the efficiency of Mg absorption observed in this study. Genetic differences associated with production level (milk production) also may be contributing factors to the onset of tetany. Additional contributing factors that could influence the incidence of grass tetany in different breeds o f cows may be production potential and other physiological and(or) metabolic differences.
Serum Mineral Concentrations in Different Breeds of Cows

Matter et al. (1986), using Angus, Brahman and Hereford cows grazing oat pastures during the peak tetany season, reported that serum Mg, Ca and inorganic P concentrations were similar across breeds. Data summarized from information presented by Chirase et alJ (1988) also indicated that serum Mg, Ca and inorganic P concentrations were similar in Angus, Angus x Hereford, Angus x Jersey, Brahman x Hereford, Brahman x Jersey and Hereford x Jersey cows grazing oat pastures. However, Chirase et al. (1985), using a limited number of Angus and Hereford heifers, reported that although serum Mg concentrations were similar between breeds, serum Ca was higher and serum inorganic P was lower in Angus than in

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TABLE 5. SERUM MAGNESIUM COONCENTRATION IN COWS OF FIVE BREEDS AND THEIR CROSSES Breed Magnesium, rag/all

Angus(A) Brahman (B) Hereford (He) Holstein (Ho) Jersey (J) AB AHe AHo AJ BHe BHo BJ
Hello HeJ HoJ

1.82 + .07~ 1.83 + .07b 1.63 + .04c 1.73 .07abed 1.72 :t: .10abed 1.78 + .05abd 1.78 + .06abd 1.62 + .05e 1.73 .06abed 1.71 .05abed 1.83 .06 b 1.82 .06a
1.66 .04cd 1.69 .04abcd 1.66 .06r

similar for all breeds. Angus and Brahman cows had the highest and Hereford cows had the lowest serum Mg concentration. All Brahman or Brahman crossbred cows had an average serum Mg concentration above 1.78 mg/dl, except for Brahman x Hereford cows. Greene et al. (1986), using cattle from the same herd, reported that apparent digestibility was highest for Angus and Brahman cows and lowest for Jersey cows, with Hereford and Holstein cows being intermediate. When straightbred and crossbred data were pooled, Brahman and Brahman crossbred cows had the highest apparent digestibility of Mg compared with the other breed groups.
Conclusions

a'b'e'd'eMeanswith a similar superscriptdo not differ (P < .05).

Hereford heifers. Weiner (1982) indicated that blood Cu, Ca, inorganic P and Mg concentrations were significantly different between Friesian and Jersey cattle. Field et al. (1969) found that serum concentrations of Ca, inorganic P and Mg were different among breeds of sheep. Scottish Blackface and Welsh Mountain sheep had higher concentrations of plasma Mg than Cheviot did. Fisher (1978) reported that adult lactating Angus cows had lower serum Mg concentrations than Angus x Charolais cows (2.01 vs 2.13 mg/dl). However, Hardt et al. (1989), using mature lactating Hereford, Hereford x Holstein and Hereford x Jersey cows, did not observe any significant differences in serum or milk Mg concentrations at 7 mo after calving. These studies suggest that different breeds of livestock may differ in serum mineral concentrations. Data in Table 5 show serum Mg concentrations of 375 mature cows of five breeds and their F 1 crosses (reciprocal crosses pooled) while grazing oat forage at the Texas A&M Agricultural Research Center at McGregor. Cattle ranged in age from 5 to 13 yr and were at various stages of lactation and gestation. Cows had ad libitum access to a 14% Mg mineral supplement (Table 2). Serum samples were taken from 230 cows during February 1985 and 145 cows during March 1985 and analyzed for Mg, Ca and inorganic P. The effects of age of cow, pregnancy and lactation status and interactions (age of cow x stage of lactation, breed-type x stage of lactation and breed-type x stage of gestation) were not significant. Serum Ca and inorganic P were

These data provide evidence that breeds differ in their propensity to absorb Mg and that breed differences may be used to predict susceptibility to grass tetany. Although the apparent Mg availability and serum Mg concentrations of Angus cows have been shown to be similar to those of Brahman cows and greater than those of Hereford cows in the same production environment, the incidence of grass tetany is less in Brahman cows than in Angus and Hereford cows. The differences observed in the incidence of grass tetany in different breeds of cattle probably is the result of differences in digestive and metabolic processes and in milk production.
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