Minimizing the risk of antimicrobial-resistant organisms and antimicrobial residues in dairy and dairy beef products is a topic of nationwide interest. To design an effective outreach program on judicious use of antimicrobials, it is imperative to describe actual practices on dairies. Thus, our objective was to report current practices for metritis treatment in 45 dairies in California. Data were collected using a survey tool that included questions on systemic antimicrobial treatments, intrauterine treatments, supportive treatments, and treatment records. Researchers collected information based on cow-side observations and responses from fresh cow evaluators. Most dairies (n = 33; 70%) performed rectal exams for vaginal discharge (VD) evaluation and based systemic antimicrobial administration on the presence of (a) abnormal VD (fetid and nonfetid), regardless of fever (n = 11; 25%); (b) fever regardless of the odor of abnormal VD (n = 11; 25%); (c) fetid VD and fever (n = 1; 2%); (d) fetid VD (n = 3; 9%); or (e) fetid VD or fever (n = 3; 9%). Some dairies (n = 11; 24%) only detected abnormal VD if visible on tail, vulva, or floor; treatment decisions were based on the presence of abnormal VD (n = 9; 20%) or abnormal VD and fever (n = 2; 4%). On 3 (6%) dairies, VD characteristics were evaluated after rectal palpation, but no systemic treatments were administered. Cows exhibiting 1 nonspecific sign of health disorder (depressed general appearance, lack of appetite, or drop in milk yield) plus fever (n = 13; 29%), or even regardless of fever (n = 6; 13%), were treated with systemic antimicrobials. Overall, 8 (18%) dairies justified systemic antimicrobial treatment based on fever alone. Systemic antimicrobials used were ceftiofur products [ceftiofur hydrochloride (n = 26; 55%), ceftiofur sodium (n = 3; 7%), and ceftiofur crystalline-free acid (n = 8; 18%)], penicillin procaine (n = 8; 18%), and ampicillin (n = 3; 7%). Intrauterine infusions were done with penicillin procaine (n = 1; 2%) or oxytetracycline (n = 12; 27%). The dose and treatment length varied across dairies for i.m. ceftiofur hydrochloride (15 to 45 mL/d for 3 to 5 d), s.c. ceftiofur crystalline-free acid (20 to 25 mL once or twice), i.m. ceftiofur sodium (15 to 30 mL/d for 3 to 5 d), i.m. penicillin procaine (20 to 60 mL/d for 3 to 6 d), and i.m. ampicillin (25 to 35 mL/d for 3 to 6 d). The antimicrobial drug of choice, the dose, and the treatment length for metritis varied across the study dairies. Based on accepted industry best-management practices for metritis, a need exists to educate fresh cow evaluators on signs of health disorder indicative of metritis and on appropriate antimicrobial treatment regimens.

The aim of the present study was to describe fresh-cow handling practices and techniques used during fresh cow evaluations to identify postpartum health disorders on 45 dairy farms in California ranging from 450 to 9,500 cows. Fresh cow practices were surveyed regarding (a) grouping and housing, (b) scheduling and work organization, (c) screening for health disorders, and (d) physical examination methods. Information was collected based on cow-side observations and responses from fresh cow evaluators. Cows were housed in the fresh cow pen for 3 to 14 (20%), 15 to 30 (49%), or >31 (31%) d in milk. Fresh cow evaluations were performed daily (78%), 6 times a week (11%), 2 to 5 times a week (9%), or were not routinely performed (2%). There was significant correlation between the duration of fresh cow evaluations and the number of cows housed in the fresh pen. Across all farms, the duration of evaluations ranged from 5 to 240 min, with an average of 16 s spent per cow. During fresh cow checks, evaluators always looked for abnormal vaginal discharge, retained fetal membranes, and down cows. Dairies evaluated appetite based on rumen fill (11%), reduction of feed in the feed bunk (20%), rumination sensors (2%), or a combination of these (29%). Milk yield was evaluated based on udder fill at fresh cow checks (40%), milk flow during milking (11%), milk yield records collected by milk meters (2%), or a combination of udder fill and milk meters (5%). Depressed attitude was evaluated on 64% of the dairies. Health-monitoring exams for early detection of metritis were implemented on 42% of the dairies based on rectal examination (13%), rectal temperature (22%), or both (7%). Dairies implementing health-monitoring exams took longer to perform fresh cow evaluations. Physical examination methods such as rectal examination, auscultation, rectal temperature evaluation, and cow-side ketosis tests were used on 76, 67, 38, and 9% of dairies, respectively. Across dairies, we found large variation in signs of health disorders screened and how those signs were evaluated. Fresh cows were primarily evaluated based on nonspecific and subjective observations during screening. Future research efforts should focus on developing and validating scoring systems to more objectively identify health disorders in postpartum cows.

Retained fetal membranes (RFM), dystocia, and twinning are common postpartum events that increase the risk of metritis, impair reproductive performance, and contribute to antimicrobial use on dairies. The overall objective of this study was to describe treatment decisions after RFM, severe dystocia (cesarean section and fetotomy), nonsevere dystocia (nonmechanical and mechanical assistance to extract the calf), and twinning. A total of 44 dairies from California's San Joaquin Valley (39 Holstein and 6 Jersey or crossbreed herds) with 450 to 9,500 lactating cows were enrolled in this study. Researchers visited each dairy once to observe cow-side fresh cow health evaluations and to interview health evaluators and maternity workers, using a standardized survey tool. The survey included questions about antimicrobial (class, dose, and duration) and nonantimicrobial therapies for calving-related events. Antimicrobial therapy was used in all 44 dairies to treat RFM at 24 (n = 23), 48 (n = 10), or 72 h (n = 5) after calving, or when puerperal metritis signs were observed (n = 6). Antimicrobial therapy was used after all severe dystocia cases, and after nonsevere dystocia (n = 27) and twinning (n = 15). Ceftiofur products were the most common antimicrobial class; they were used to treat RFM cases (n = 29), nonsevere dystocia (n = 13), and twinning (n = 10). Supportive therapy for calving-related events included nonantimicrobial intrauterine treatments, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, oxytocin, i.v. calcium, or oral drenches. Our study highlights opportunities to reduce extra-label use of antimicrobials in postpartum cows affected with RFM, and the need for education and outreach efforts on judicious use of antimicrobials. Furthermore, anti-microbial treatment choices differed largely across dairies, indicating a need to reach consensus and promote standardized practices within the industry.

Minimizing the risk of antibiotic resistant organisms and antibiotic residues in dairy and dairy-beef products is a topic of nationwide interest. Our long term goal is to achieve this objective, based on decreasing unnecessary antibiotic use on dairies. To design an effective outreach program on judicious use of antibiotics, it is imperative to describe the actual practices on dairies. The objective of this study is to describe the identification techniques for sick cows and treatments decisions for fresh cows (FC) based on cow-side observations.