CONCENTRATIONS OF SODIUM, POTASSIUM, CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM AND CHLORINE IN THE MUSCLE-CELLS OF DOWNER COWS AND COWS WITH PARTURIENT PARESIS

The concentrations of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphoru s, sulphur and chlorine, in the skeletal muscle fibres of cows with pa rturient paresis, downer cows, normally calving cows and unmated heife rs were determined by means of an X-ray microanalysis technique. The m ost consistent finding was an increase in the concentration of chlorin e in the muscle samples from the downer cows. There were no other sign ificant differences between the concentrations of these elements in sa mples from the different groups of cows, but the calcium concentration was higher in the muscle samples collected one month after parturitio n than in the samples collected close to parturition.