Comparison of two strategies for the treatment of retained fetal membranes in dairy cows: Manual removal and administration of local intrauterine antibiotics versus nonremoval and no antibiotics.

Summary

This investigation was established in order to evaluate two different strategies for the treatment of retained fetal membranes (RFM) in dairy cows. The study was conducted on 35 organic and 14 conventional dairy farms in Denmark. RFM was defined as fetal membranes not expelled for more than 6 hours but less than 30 hours after calving. In the treatment group (n=61) manually removal of fetal membranes was attempted day 1 post partum, and the cows received intrauterine antibiotic treatment once (500 mg oxytetracyclinhydrochloride). In the control group (n=70) manual removal of fetal membranes was not attempted, and the cows received neither intrauterine nor systemic antibiotic treatment. However, visible parts of the fetal membranes were removed. Rectal temperature was measured daily d 1-5 and once d 7, 10 and 19-26 post partum. In case of symptoms consistent with puerperal metritis (>39.5°C and fetid, watery, and red-brown uterine discharge) cows in both groups received systemic and if possible intrauterine antibiotic (tetracycline) treatment. Cows without fever and cows with fever but without signs consistent with puerperal metritis received no further treatment. Between 19 and 26 days post partum the cows were examined once. The vagina was examined manually and the content was withdrawn for examination. Volume, odour and character were evaluated. The incidence of RFM was 6 % in the herds participating in the investigation. During the observation period 42.9 % of the cows in the control group showed fever (>39.5 °C). In the control group the proportion was 23.0 %. This difference was significant. Within the observation period 21.4 % of the cows in the control group and 8.2% of the cows in the treatment group were affected by puerperal metritis and treated. The difference was not significant, however there might be a tendency (p=0.05) towards more treatments in the control group than in the treatment group. Extension of the observation period resulted in no significant difference between the groups as regards treatments for metritis (p=0.12). After 90 days 8.6 % of the cows in the control group had left the herd, 6.6 % in the treatment group. This difference was not significant. The odour and the vaginal mucus score, days to first service and yield did not differ between the two groups. Yield and days to first service were influenced by parity and farm, i.e. organic or conventional.
The results in this investigations indicates that that manual removal of RFM and prophylactic intrauterine antibiotics compared with non-removal of RFM and no antibiotics has no positive effect on yield and days to first service.