Administration of an herbal powder based on traditional Chinese veterinary medicine enhanced the fertility of Holstein dairy cows affected with retained placenta.

Herbal powder consisted of Leonurus artemisia (Laur.) S.Y. Hu F, Angelica sinensis (OLIV.) DIELS (radix), Ligusticum chuanxiong HORT (radix), Sparganium stolonif erum (Graebn.) Buch.-Ham.exJuz (radix), Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) ROSC (radix), Cyperu srotundus Linn. (radix), and Glycyrrhiza uralensis FISCH (radix) has a high efficacy in facilitating earlier expulsion of the placenta and lowering puerperal metritis risk, and reproductive outcomes might represent the ultimate therapeutic goal of a treatment option for retained placenta in cows. This trial was carried out to further evaluate the effect of the herbal powder on the subsequent fertility of Holstein dairy cows with retained placenta. The animals were treated with herbal powder (n = 85, 0.5 g crude herb/kg bw, p.o.) once daily for 1-3 day(s) or ceftiofur hydrochloride (n = 72, 2.2 mg/kg bw, i.m.) twice daily for 3 consecutive days, and 75 cows with no clinically visible pathological conditions, given without assistance and with no retained placenta diagnosis were included into the control group. Calving-to-first-AI interval (67.2 ±â€¯16.2 vs. 81.9 ±â€¯28.7, p < 0.01), services per conception (1.9 ±â€¯1.2 vs. 2.4 ±â€¯1.7, p < 0.05), and calving-to-conception interval (101.8 ±â€¯47.0 vs. 129.6 ±â€¯56.6, p < 0.01) were lower in the herbal group than in ceftiofur group. Percentage of cows pregnant within 180 days postpartum was the higher in cows from the herbal group compared to cows in ceftiofur group (75.0% vs. 90.6%, p < 0.01). Additionally, the cows in the herbal group had a very similar fertility compared to the healthy controls, including calving-to-first-AI interval (67.2 ±â€¯16.2 vs. 66.3 ±â€¯16.9, p＞0.05), first AI conception proportion (48.2% vs. 50.6%, p＞0.05), services per conception (1.9 ±â€¯1.2 vs. 2.0 ±â€¯1.1, p＞0.05), percentage of cows pregnant within 180 days postpartum (90.6% vs. 93.3%, p＞0.05) and calving-to-conception interval (101.8 ±â€¯47.0 vs. 99.0 ±â€¯44.7, p＞0.05). Herbal powder used in this trial might have a beneficial clinical efficacy, and thus, might represent a potential effective treatment strategy to improve the subsequent fertility of dairy cows with retained placenta.

Differential effects of a single dose of oral calcium based on postpartum plasma calcium concentration in Holstein cows.

Our objectives were to determine (1) the effect of a single dose of an oral Ca bolus within 24 h after parturition on plasma Ca concentration, (2) the response of primiparous (PP) and multiparous (MP) cows to this supplementation strategy, and (3) differential responses based on plasma Ca at enrollment. For objective 1, cows from 1 commercial dairy in New York State were enrolled within 19 h after parturition (mean ± standard deviation = 8.3 ± 5.3 h) and randomized within parity group (first, second, and ≥third) to control [CON (n = 25); no placebo] or a single dose bolus treatment [BOL (n = 25); 3 oral Ca boluses supplying 54 to 64 g of Ca]. Plasma Ca was measured repeatedly between 1 and 24 h following treatment. For objectives 2 and 3, cows on 6 commercial farms in New York State were assigned to treatment as for objective 1 (CON, n = 1,973; BOL, n = 1,976). Herd records for health, reproduction, and Dairy Herd Improvement Association test day milk production were collected. Mixed effect multivariable models were developed using repeated measures ANOVA, Poisson regression, or proportional hazard models. Objective 2 analyses considered treatment with periparturient risk factors, whereas objective 3 analyses also considered Ca status. No difference was observed for plasma Ca between 1 and 24 h after treatment. Primiparous cows assigned to BOL calving at >712 d old had decreased risk of one or more health disorders [≤30 d in milk; risk ratio (RR) = 0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.51 to 0.84] and those with body condition score >3.5 responded to BOL with increased milk production (CON = 31.7 ± 1.1, BOL = 35.1 ± 1.1 kg/d), as did those with days carried calf >277 (CON = 31.9 ± 1.0, BOL = 34.7 ± 1.0 kg/d). Reduced risk of one or more health disorders was observed in parity ≥3 (RR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.81 to 0.89) and MP cows with body condition score >3.5 (retained placenta; RR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.58 to 0.84) or that were lame (displaced abomasum; RR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.32 to 0.75). Differential responses for PP cows by Ca status were minimal. For MP cows with low plasma Ca, BOL decreased risk of additional Ca treatment (≤1.8 mmol/L; RR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.40 to 0.80) as well as risk of one or more health disorders (≤2.15 mmol/L; RR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.85 to 0.95). Supplementation with a single oral dose of Ca could be targeted to periparturient risk groups for improved health. Calcium status did not differentiate responses of PP cows, but MP cows with low Ca at parturition had improved health status when supplemented.

Efficacy of herbal tincture as treatment option for retained placenta in dairy cows.

Retained placenta remains therapeutic challenge in cattle. Certain traditional medicines are believed to be able to alleviate retained placenta condition and improve overall fertility in cows. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of an herbal tincture for treatment of retained placenta. The herbal tincture was extracted from a combination of Herba Leonuri, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Flos Carthami, Myrrha and Rhizoma Cyperi by percolation with 70% ethanol to a concentration of 0.5g crude herb/ml. Cows diagnosed with retained placenta (n=48) were randomly divided into one of two treatment groups (A and B), with animals in group A (n=26) receiving herbal tincture orally, and cows in group B (n=22) receiving oxytetracycline infusion into the uterus. Eighty six cows with no clinically visible pathological conditions, given birth alone and with no retained placenta diagnosis were included into control group (C). Retained placenta was expelled within 72h following initial treatment in 19 cows in group A, yet no cows in group B were recorded to expel placenta in the same time. The median number of days to first service (70.0 vs. 102.5 days; P<0.05) and median number of days open (76.0 vs. 134.0 days; P<0.01) were lower in group A than in group B. Percentage of cows pregnant within 100 days postpartum was the highest for animals in group A compared to controls (61.5% vs. 39.5%, P<0.05), and for animals in group B (61.5% vs. 22.7%; P<0.01). Herbal tincture used in the present study might facilitate expulsion of retained placenta and improve subsequent fertility, thus could present effective treatment option for retained placenta in cows.

Effect of oral administration of a calcium chloride gel on blood mineral concentrations, parturient disorders, reproductive performance, and milk production of dairy cows with retained fetal membranes.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of oral administration of CaCl2 gel on blood mineral concentrations, parturient disorders, reproductive performance, and milk production of dairy cows with retained fetal membranes (RFM). DESIGN: Randomized field trial. ANIMALS: 20 cows that calved normally and were not treated with CaCl2 gel (group 1), 20 cows with RFM that were treated with CaCl2 gel (group 2), and 20 cows with RFM that were not treated with CaCl2 gel (group 3). PROCEDURE: Group-2 cows were treated orally with CaCl2 gel (54 g of calcium) 24 and 48 hours after parturition. RESULTS: Administration of CaCl2 gel 24 and 48 hours after parturition did not have a significant effect on serum normalized calcium, total calcium, magnesium, or phosphorus concentrations or on incidence of metritis or left displacement of the abomasum, days to first insemination, pregnancy status after first insemination, or milk production. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Administration of CaCl2 gel 24 and 48 hours after parturition did not have significant effect on blood mineral concentrations, parturient disorders, reproductive performance, and milk production in dairy cows with RFM.