Effect of oral calcium administration on the cure and reproductive performance of Holstein cows diagnosed with puerperal metritis

Abstract

Our objective was to evaluate the effect of oral calcium administration on clinical cure, survival, subsequent presentation of peripartal health disorders, and reproductive performance of Holstein cows diagnosed with puerperal metritis (PM) under certified organic management. A second objective was to evaluate the metabolic status at calving and at the time of PM diagnosis (d 0) in affected and matched healthy cows. Cows diagnosed with PM (n = 200) were assigned randomly to receive 1 of 2 treatments: (1) control received 3.75 mL of Optimum UterFlush [Van Beek Natural Science, Orange City, IA, containing yucca extract, cinnamaldehyde, thymol, and a proprietary blend of carvacrol (4-isopropyl-2-methylphenol, at 0.47 g/mL)] diluted in 117 mL of distilled water by intrauterine infusion, administered every other day for a total of 3 treatments (n = 100); (2) calcium-supplemented (CA) received the same intrauterine treatment plus 6 oral capsules providing calcium ('O' Cal-D Cap, Bio-Vet Inc., Barneveld, WI; 7.5-9.0 g of Ca/capsule) once per day, for 3 consecutive days after diagnosis of PM. All cows received hypertonic saline solution (500 mL of 7.2% solution i.v. once), dextrose (500 mL of 50% solution i.v. once), and oral aspirin (5 boluses/d for 3 d). Outcome variables included fever, presence of fetid vaginal discharge, and uterine score at d 6 and 14 after diagnosis, survival at 30 and 100 d in milk, reproductive performance, and incidence of other health disorders after PM. A group of 200 control healthy cows (CH) was matched with PM cows at d 0, and calcium and fatty acid serum concentrations were determined at calving and at the day of diagnosis of PM (d 0). Calcium status was also assessed in PM cows at d 1, 2, 3, and 6 after diagnosis. Treatment effects were tested by logistic regression, repeated measures analysis, and ANOVA. Average calcium serum concentrations at d 0 were lower in PM cows (1.57 mmol/L) compared with CH cows (2.10 mmol/L). In PM cows, calcium concentrations at d 1, 2, 3, and 6 after diagnosis were significantly higher in the CA group. Fatty acid serum concentrations at calving and at d 0 were higher in PM cows compared with CH cows (0.48 vs. 0.37 mmol/L and 0.49 vs. 0.35 mmol/L, for calving and d 0). No effect was observed for calcium administration on health and survival outcomes. However, the proportion of cows inseminated by 150 d in milk was greater for CA compared with control cows (66 vs. 55%). In conclusion, supplementing oral calcium at the time of diagnosing PM had no effect on health. High fatty acid concentrations at calving were significant risk factors for occurrence of PM. Furthermore, cows affected with PM had lower calcium and higher fatty acid concentrations than CH cows at d 0.

Association of postpartum hypocalcemia with early-lactation milk yield, reproductive performance, and culling in dairy cows

“…The authors speculated that the observed low calcium values might also be an indicator of inadequate feed intake rather than metabolic disease when considering such a long risk period. This assumption is in agreement with Pinedo et al (2017), who suggested that hypocalcemia might be caused by insufficient feed intake before clinical signs of postpartum diseases. Using a matched pair comparison, Jawor et al (2012) detected greater milk yield (+6 kg/d) during wk 2, 3, and, 4 postpartum for cows suffering from subclinical hypocalcemia 0 to 24 h after calving (<1.8 mmol/L).…”

“…Although these epidemiological studies showed an association and some evidence for a causal relationship between hypocalcemia and an increased risk for infectious diseases (Martinez et al, 2014), longer risk periods have to be evaluated with caution. It is also possible that reduced feed intake affects serum calcium levels before clinical signs of disease become apparent, as most recently shown by Pinedo et al (2017) for cows suffering from puerperal metritis. Considering a relatively long risk period of 1 wk might lead to an underestimation of the prevalence and an overestimation of the effect size caused by hypocalcemia.…”

Clinical, Hematological and Some Serum Biochemical Alterations in Local Cows Affected with Milk Fever in Gogjalee Region, Mosul, Iraq

“…Moreover,it is also probable that lower feed intake prior to clinical signs of disease can have an effect on serum calcium levels. These observations are in accordance with many investigators [27][28][29][30]. It has been shown that the alterations in Ca metabolism caused by lactation are more substantial than parturition as there is loss of blood Ca to milk [3].…”

Incidence and risk factors for reproductive disorders in organic certified dairies

“…Dystocia has been associated with poor mineral, energetic, and immune profiles, which are factors that also increase the risks of other disorders, such as RFM, PM, and culling in dairy cattle (Gröhn and Rajala-Schultz, 2000;Gilbert, 2016;Pinedo et al, 2017). In the present study, we observed that shorter time in the close-up groups was a risk factor for DYS.…”