TREATMENT OF DAIRY-COWS AT PARTURITION WITH PROSTAGLANDIN-F2-ALPHA OROXYTOCIN FOR PREVENTION OF RETAINED FETAL MEMBRANES

Objective-To evaluate the effects of treatment at parturition with din oprost tromethamine, fenprostalene, or oxytocin on postpartum disease and reproductive performance during the subsequent breeding season in dairy cows. Design-Prospective study. Animals-1,400 Holstein cows from 5 commercial dairies. Procedure-Cows were assigned within 2 hours aft er calving to serve as untreated control cows or to be treated with 1 mg of fenprostalene, SC; 25 mg of dinoprost tromethamine, IM; or 20 IU of oxytocin, IM, Cows were confined to treatment pens and monitored d aily until fetal membranes were expelled. Cows with retained fetal mem branes (RFM) were treated according to existing treatment protocols fo r the dairy, with the provision that intrauterine infusions were not a llowed. Ali other disease conditions were recorded, and appropriate tr eatment was administered. Postpartum reproductive examinations were pe rformed 28 to 56 days after parturition. Breeding records were maintai ned for all cows until pregnancy was confirmed or the cow was removed from the herd. Results-Fetal membranes were retained in 12.1% of all c ows, and this outcome was unaffected by treatment. Compared with cows without RFM, cows with RFM had longer intervals to first insemination (76.4 vs 82.0 days), reduced first insemination conception rates (46.8 vs 28.0%), and increased number of days not pregnant (103.2 vs 127.4 days). Farm, as a variable, significantly affected development of RFM and postpartum disease conditions as well as reproductive performance during the subsequent breeding season. Fetal membranes were retained i n 12.4, 15.2, 8.7, 6.3, and 16.9% of cows on farms 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. Mean days to first insemination varied from 64.5 days (f arm 3) to 91.5 days (farm 1). Mean number of days not pregnant varied from 94.8 days (farm 3) to 115.9 days (farm 4). Clinical Implications- Administration of prostaglandins or oxytocin at the time of calving do es not reduce the incidence of RFM or improve reproductive performance . Farm management practices have the greatest Impact on dairy cow perf ormance.