Abstract #407
Section: Reproduction (orals)
Session: Joint Reproduction/Animal Health Platform Session: Transition Cow Health and Reproduction
Format: Oral
Day/Time: Tuesday 5:15 PM–5:30 PM
Location: Room 206
Session: Joint Reproduction/Animal Health Platform Session: Transition Cow Health and Reproduction
Format: Oral
Day/Time: Tuesday 5:15 PM–5:30 PM
Location: Room 206
# 407
Effects of a new preventive strategy with acetylsalicylic acid on uterine diseases and reproductive performance in dairy cows.
A. A. Barragan*1, S. Bas2, E. Hovingh1, A. Ludwikowski1, S. Takitch3, J. Zug4, S. Hann4, 1Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 2Phytobiotics Futterzusatzstoffe GmbH Bvd, Córdoba, Argentina, 3Department of Animal Science, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 4Zugstead Farm, Mifflintown, PA.
Key Words: dairy cattle, acetylsalicylic acid, reproductive performance
Effects of a new preventive strategy with acetylsalicylic acid on uterine diseases and reproductive performance in dairy cows.
A. A. Barragan*1, S. Bas2, E. Hovingh1, A. Ludwikowski1, S. Takitch3, J. Zug4, S. Hann4, 1Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 2Phytobiotics Futterzusatzstoffe GmbH Bvd, Córdoba, Argentina, 3Department of Animal Science, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 4Zugstead Farm, Mifflintown, PA.
Uterine diseases negatively affect fertility in dairy cows. Furthermore, it has been suggested that an exacerbated inflammatory response after calving may increase the likelihood of the occurrence of these diseases. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of a new preventive strategy with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on the incidence of uterine diseases (i.e., retained placenta, metritis, endometritis), ovarian structures, days in milk to pregnancy and number of services to conception in dairy cows after calving. Dairy cows (n = 246) from one dairy farm located in central Pennsylvania were included in this study. Cows were blocked by parity and randomly assigned to 2 groups: 1) ASP (n = 121): within ~12 h after parturition cows received 1 oral administration of ASA (200 mg/kg of BW; 4 boluses) and a second oral administration 24 h apart; or 2) UNT (n = 125): remained untreated. Metritis was assessed at 7 ± 3 and 14 ± 3 d in milk (DIM) using a Metricheck device. Cows that presented a fetid red-brownish fluid vaginal discharge were classified as having metritis. Endometritis and ovarian structures were assessed through trans-rectal ultrasonography at 50 ± 10 DIM. The incidence of retained placenta was recorded by farm personnel. The data were analyzed using the MIXED and GLIMMIX procedures of SAS as a randomized block design. The treatment variable was used as fixed effect while cow was used as random effect in the statistical models. A lower proportion of cows treated with ASA developed metritis at 7 ± 3 DIM (ASP = 23.74 ± 7; UNT = 47.39 ± 10) and endometritis (ASP = 2.04 ± 2.03; UNT = 14.27 ± 5.05) at 50 ± 10 DIM. Furthermore, cows in the ASP group required less days (ASP = 120 ± 15.2 DIM; UNT = 131 ± 14.9 DIM) and tended to need less services to become pregnant (ASP = 2.66 ± 0.36; UNT = 2.94 ± 0.37) than UNT cows. Results from this study suggest that treatment with ASA after calving may decrease the incidence of uterine diseases during early lactation, and subsequently, enhance reproductive performance of dairy cows.
Key Words: dairy cattle, acetylsalicylic acid, reproductive performance
