Grass tetany: causes and prevention

Larry L. Berger, Ph.D.

Salt Institute

Salt and Trace Minerals newsletter

Winter 1992 (Vol. 24, No. 1)

Magnesium deficiency, known as grass tetany, is a classic case of the benefit-cost advantage of feeding trace mineral salt. Grass tetany at clinical levels affects 1% of all cattle and, of those, one-third die. In a 100-cow herd, preventing the loss of a single cow every three years would more than pay the costs of supplementation. Feeding trace mineral salt eliminates the productivity losses of animals with sub-clinical deficiency.