105 RETAINED FETAL MEMBRANES: INCIDENCE AND EFFECT ON MILK PRODUCTION AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE IN DAIRY COWS

Abstract

The objectives were to describe the incidence of retained fetal membrane (RFM) and its effect on production and reproduction of dairy cows in tropical environments. Holstein and crossbred Holstein × Gyr cows and heifers calving between May 2012 and May 2013 from 4 dairy farms were enrolled in this study. Retained fetal membranes were defined as the non-expelling of placenta within 12 to 24 h after calving. All cows with RFM were treated with 10 mg kg^–1 of oxitetracycline IV and drenching containing 100 g of CaCl_2, 100 g of KCl, 200 g of Mg(SO₄), and 350 mL of propylene glycol in 25 L of water once per day for 3 days. The incidence of RFM was 14.7% (92/624) in multiparous cows and 11.5% (67/583) in primiparous cows (P = 0.003). The incidence of retained placenta was 14.7% (92/624) during the summer and 14.8% (108/731) during the winter (P = 0.99). Conception rates after first postpartum AI were 32.5% (276/850) and 25.8% (34/132) for healthy cows and cows with RFM, respectively (P = 0.12). More cows that did not have RFM were pregnant at 150 DIM than cows with retained placenta (42.3 v. 29.3%; P = 0.003). Based on predicted 305-day milk yield, cows with retained placenta produced less milk than healthy cows (5924.0 ± 158.0 v. 6315.3 ± 61.0 kg, respectively; P = 0.009). The average peak production was 30.8 ± 0.3 and 29.1 ± 0.7 kg for healthy and RFM cows, respectively (P = 0.02). During the first 60 days in milk, the total milk production for RFM and healthy cows was, respectively, 1305.7 ± 37.3 and 1441.2 ± 15.8 L (P = 0.0008). In conclusion, although season did not influence the incidence of RFM in dairy cows, parity had an effect. Moreover, RFM was associated with a decrease in reproductive efficiency and milk production in dairy cows managed in the tropics.

Financial support was received from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) of Brazil.