Nutritional supplement for calving ruminant animals

摘要

The method of the present invention is directed to a nutritional supplement for ruminant animals at or about the time of freshening. The nutritional supplement comprises, in unit dosage form, prophylactically effective amounts of calcium propionate, or mixture of calcium propionate and calcium oxide, and a water soluble magnesium salt, as active ingredients in a pharmaceutically acceptable gel carrier that imparts flowability to the nutritional supplement. The present invention is also directed to a method of preventing or inhibiting a triad of diseases-- hypocalcemia, ketosis and tetany--that commonly occur in ruminant animals during freshening. The method of the present invention comprises administering to a ruminant animal during its time of freshening, the above described nutritional supplement in a unit dose form.