Severe hypomagnesaemia and
tetany were induced in 10 lactating cows by feeding them semi-synthetic low
magnesium diets and the animals were used to study the stability of postmortem markers of hypomagnesaemic
tetany. There were significant relationships between the concentrations of
magnesium in either cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or plasma and either aqueous or vitreous humour. The onset of hypomagnesamic
tetany was also associated with low
magnesium concentrations in plasma, CSF and aqueous and vitreous humour.
Magnesium concentrations less than 0.25 mmol/litre in fresh aqueous humour may be indicative of severe hypomagnesaemia and possible
tetany in lactating cows, but the concentration of
magnesium in aqueous humour was unstable postmortem. The concentration of
magnesium in vitreous humour was relatively stable and a concentration of less than 0.55 mmol/litre could be used as a diagnostic marker of
tetany in cattle for up to at least 48 hours postmortem, at ambient temperatures typical of Northern Ireland.