Iranian Journal of animal Science

Iranian Journal of animal Science

Study of consequences and factors affecting the incidence of retained placenta in Holstein dairy cattle of Isfahan province of Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Abolfazl Mahnani 1
Ali Sadeghi-Sefidmazgi 2
Mehdi Safahani-Langroudi 3
1 M.Sc. Student, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology
3 Veterinarian, FKA Dairy Company, Isfahan
10.22059/ijas.2015.54594
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to 1) describe the risk factors, incidence, production and reproduction consequences of retained placenta in dairy cows, and 2) estimate the financial losses associated with retained placenta. Calving records from March 2008 to December 2013 comprising 59,341 calving were included in the data set. The effects of risk factors on retained placenta incidence were quantified  using a multivariable logistical regression model and effect of retained placenta on production and reproduction performance were analyzed using a mixed linear model in SAS software. The average incidence of retained placenta per year was 9.7 % ranged between 7.9 to 11.6 %. Results from the logistic regression analysis demonstrated that calving year, parity number and calving season, twining, dystocia, and stillbirth significantly influenced (P < 0.01) the incidence of retained placenta. Cow with highest odds of retained placenta were those first parity cows that calved in winter and had stillbirth, twining, and dystocia in recent years. Results showed that a case of retained placenta significantly (P < 0.05) reduced 305-d milk yield by 320 kg/cow per lactation but had no significant effects on 305-d fat and protein percentages. Depressive effects of retained placenta (P < 0.05) on reproduction efficiency were quantified by an increase in open days and number of inseminations per conception of 11.55 ± 1.48 and 0.17 ± 0.02 per cow per lactation, respectively. Economic losses due to retained placenta ranged from $US 144 to 279 with a mean of $US 200 per case.  Results of the present study could be useful in cost-benefit analysis of retained placenta management control programs.
Keywords
Retained placenta
financial losses
Holstein dairy cows
Odds ratio
  1. Bendixen, P.H., Vilson, B. & Ekesbo, I. (1987). Disease frequencies in dairy cows in Sweden. II. Retained placenta. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 4, 377-387.
  2. Correa, M.T., Erb, H. & Scarlett, J. (1993). Path analysis of seven postpartum disorders of Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 76, 1305-1312.
  3. Curtis, R.A. I. (1973). Prevention of retained fetal membranes in cattle. Veterinary Record, 92, 291.
  4. Dubuc, J., Duffield, T.F., Leslie, K.E., Walton, J. S. & LeBlanc, S. J. (2010). Risk factors for postpartum uterine diseases in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 93, 5764-5771.
  5. Emanuelson, U., Oltenacu, P.A. & Gröhn, Y.T. (1993). Nonlinear mixed model analyses of five production disorders of dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science, 76, 2765-2772.
  6. Esslemont, R.J. & Kossaibati, M.A. (1996). Incidence of production diseases and other health problems in a group of dairy herds in England. Journal of Veterinary Record, 139, 486-490.
  7. Fricke, P. & Wiltbank, M. (1999). Effect of milk production on the incidence of double ovulation in dairy cows. Theriogenology, 52, 1133-1143.
  8. Gaafar, H.M.A., Shamiah, SH. M., Shitta, A. A. & Ganah, H. A. B. (2010). Factor affecting retention of placenta and its influence on postpartum reproductive performance and milk production in Friesian cows. Slovak Journal of Animal Science, 43(1), 6-12.
  9. Goff, J.P. (2006) Major advances in our understanding of nutritional influences on bovine health. Journal of Dairy Science, 89, 1292-1301.
  10. Gröhn, Y.T., Erb, H.N., McCulloch, C.E. & Saloniemi, H.S. (1990). Epidemiology of reproductive disorders in dairy cattle: associations among host characteristics, disease and production. Prevent Veterinary Medicine, 8, 25-39.
  11. Han, I.K. & Kim, I.H. (2005). Risk factors for retained placenta and the effect of retained placenta on the occurrence of postpartum diseases and subsequent reproductive performance in dairy cows. Journal of veterinary Science, 6, 53-59.
  12. Hur, T.Y., Jung, Y.H., Kang, S.J., Choe, C.Y., Kim, U.H., Ryu, Il-S., Son, DS., Park, S.J. & Kim, Ill-H. (2011). the impact of the duration of retained placenta on postpartum diseases and culling rates in dairy cows. Veterinary Research, 51(3), 233-237.
  13. Joosten, I. J., Stelwagen, A. & Dijkhuizen, A. (1998). Economic and reproductive consequences of retained placenta in dairy cattle. Journal of Veterinary Record, 123, 53-57
  14. Könyves, L., Szenci, O., Jurkovich, V., Tegzes, L., Tirián, A., Solymosi, N., Gyulay, G. & Brydl, E. (2009). Risk assessment and Consequences of Retained Placentafor Uterine Health, Reproduction and Milk Yield in Dairy Cows. Acta Veterinaria Brno, 78, 163-172.
  15. Laven, R.A. & Peters, A.R. (1996). Bovine retained placenta: a etiology, pathogenesis and economic loss. Journal of Veterinary Record, 139, 465-471.
  16. Mahnani, A., Sadeghi-Sefidmazgi, A. & Cabrera, V. E. (2015). Consequences and economics of metritis in Iranian Holstein dairy farms. Journal of Dairy Science, 98, xx-xx (In press).
  17. Markusfeld, O. (1987). Periparturient traits in seven high dairy herds. Incidence rates, association with parity, and interrelationships among traits. Journal of Dairy Science, 70, 158-166.
  18. Muller, L.D. & Owens, M.J. (1974). Factors associated with the incidence of retained placentas. Journal of Dairy Science, 57, 725-728.
  19. Opsomer, G. & Kriuf, A.de. (2009). Metritis and endometritis in high yielding dairy cows.VlaamsDiergeneeskundig Tijdschrift, 78, 83-88.
  20. Roberts, J.S. (1991). Veterinary obstetrics and genital diseases. (Theriogenology) 3rd Ed. pp. 96-285.
  21. Thatcher, W.W., Bilby, T.R, Bartolome, J.A., Silvestre, F., Staples, C.R. & Santos, J.E. (2006). Strategies for improving fertilityin the modern dairy cow. Theriogenology, 65, 30-44.
  22. Van Werven, T., Schukken, Y.H., Lloyd, J., Brand, A., Heeringa, H.T. & Shea, M. (1992). The effect of duration of retained placenta on reproduction, milk production, postpartum disease and culling rate. Theriogenlogy, 37, 1191-1203.

  • Receive Date 19 January 2015
  • Revise Date 08 May 2015
  • Accept Date 11 May 2015