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February 11, 2026 - More Milk Less Fever

A new theory challenges 200 years of milk fever science we thought we knew.

A new theory challenges if inflammation is the real cause of milk fever. Should this theory be proven, it would disprove 200 years of science. The first documented case of milk fever was from 1793 and can still be found periodically in almost every dairy herd. Although more commonly in dairy cattle, beef cattle are also susceptible. 

According to Agriculture Canada, in 2024, 551 dairy cows enrolled on a milk recording program were culled due to milk fever. That number has been variable, reaching as high as 1,005 culled cows in 2019. 

Milk fever is also known as hypocalcemia, which is low levels of calcium in the blood. It is a serious metabolic disorder in cattle. It occurs when there is a sudden drop in blood calcium levels when the demand for milk production exceeds the body's ability to supply it. The cow cannot pull calcium from bones fast enough. Despite “fever” in its name, it’s not an infection but a deficiency. 

Symptoms are noticed around the time the cow is about to give birth, when the call for increased milk production occurs. In the early stages, reduced appetite, weakness, decreased gut sounds and muscle twitching occur. If left untreated, severe cases can? result in an inability to stand, loss of consciousness, coma and death. 

The standard treatment is to administer extra calcium to the animal, either intravenously or orally. This is costly and is only treating the symptoms, not the cause. 

The University of Alberta released a publication that states Professor Burim Ametaj is offering a breakthrough perspective called the “Calci-Inflammatory Network,” a concept that reimagines milk fever not as a simple calcium deficiency, but as a complex biological response to inflammation. “Instead of seeing low blood calcium as a malfunction, we now believe it could be part of the body’s intelligent strategy to control inflammation after calving,” quoted by Ametaj. The cows body might purposely be lowering its own calcium levels to protect itself. 

Rather than attempting to correct one number on a blood test, see the cow as a whole dynamic system. According to Ametaj, calcium isn’t just about bones and muscles, it’s a key regulator of immune function and inflammation.

Understanding what causes milk fever could dramatically change dairy and beef industries. By unlocking this hidden complexity, the Calci-Inflammatory Network could lead to more targeted treatments. Adjusting calcium therapy and not just to “refill the tank,” but to align with the cow’s immune state, genetic profile and stage of recovery, Ametaj suggests.

His goal is to develop a precision approach to prevention and therapy. If proven, this new theory could mean fewer sick cows, less antibiotic use, and better outcomes for dairy producers and animal welfare. A break-through could also lead to a new understanding of human health. 

Patients in intensive care units with sepsis, severe COVID-19, influenza and even cancer often show hypocalcemia. “It’s not a coincidence. It’s the body’s way of trying to regulate a runaway inflammatory response.” As in dairy cows, the human body may use calcium levels as a kind of dial to turn inflammation up or down, says Ametaj. Lower calcium concentrations could help prevent immune cells from going into overdrive. This phenomenon leads to tissue damage in everything from respiratory infections to cancer related inflammation.

This is just the beginning of uncovering the full story of calcium and if we learn how to listen to what it is telling us, it could be the most powerful tool for healing.