Comparison of a conventional reproductive management programme based on rectal palpation and uterine treatment of endometritis with a strategic prostaglandin F-2x programme

Two reproductive management programmes were implemented on a dairy farm wit h 780 cows in milk to compare thc ir effects on reproductive efficiency and endometritis. The herd was divided into two groups. All cows in Group 1 re ceived 0.15 mg of D-cloprostenol (Preloban(R), Hoechst Roussel Vet, Wiesbad en) intramuscularly (im) at 14-day intervals starring at 22-28 days postpar tum (pp) until breeding. Group 2 was examined by rectal palpation twice dur ing the third and fifth weeks pp, respectively. Cows that showed signs of e ndometritis were treated with a uterine infusion of 720 mg polycondensated m-cresolsulphuric acid-formaldehyd (14: 1) in 150 mi of water Lotagen(R), 2 %, Essex Tierarznei, Munchen). For both groups, the voluntary waiting peri od was set at 50 days pp. Cows were bred on observed oestrus. Cows nor bred until day 71 pp were examined by rectal palpation and treated according to a predefined protocol. Group I had a higher service rate, and reduced days to first service (P < 0 .05) and days open (7.6 days, P = 0.08). First service conception rate and total conception rate nt re lower than in Group 2 (P < 0.05) and first sen- ice conception rate was considerably lower than second sen-ice conception r ate in Group 1 (P < 0.01). Days open were 4.5 days higher and conception ra tes were lower in cows with endometritis than in cows without endometritis at post-partum examination (P > 0.05). Results indicate that reproductive m anagement programmes based on strategic use of prostaglandin F-2 alpha pres ent an alternative to conventional reproductive management programmes based on rectal palpation and uterine infusions in large dairy herds.