How to prevent and treat silent abortion in dairy cows within the first two months of pregnancy
Silent abortion in dairy cows within the first 2 months of pregnancy occurs frequently and is a loss to the cattle industry, and it should draw great attention from cattle farmers. If a dairy cow is confirmed pregnant 1-2 months after breeding, then later shows signs of estrus, and upon re-examination the original signs of pregnancy have disappeared, this is silent abortion. After early blastocysts or embryos die, their tissues liquefy and are absorbed by the mother or excreted with urine during estrus, making them hard to detect. Cattle farmers mistakenly attribute this to the skills of the inseminator, the quality of the semen used, or other reasons, which leads to numerous troubles. To prevent silent abortion in dairy cows in production, the following work should be done well.
Strengthen nutrition. Dairy cows should be given high-quality feed that is rich and comprehensive in vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin B12, minerals, trace elements and other nutrients, to prevent the fetus from dying midway due to insufficient or unbalanced nutrition, maintain normal pregnancy, and ensure the needs of normal early embryonic development. At the same time, absolutely avoid feeding dairy cows a single feed or frozen, moldy feed, as well as feeds containing toxins such as potatoes and cottonseed cake.
Be cautious with pregnancy checks. When performing pregnancy checks on cows after breeding, one must be careful and cautious. In early pregnancy, the embryo is in a free state, or is not tightly attached to the maternal uterine mucosa. If the pregnancy check is careless at this time and the handling is rough, it may cause embryo death and failure of implantation. Especially during rectal examination, it should be gentle to avoid damaging the early embryo and causing artificial abortion.
Improve management. Create a good living environment for pregnant cows. For cows after breeding, if conditions permit, they should be kept in separate pens to avoid the adverse effects on embryos from mutual butting and crowding when kept in mixed groups; intense activity should be avoided, and they should not be stretched by crossing ditches or trenches, fall while walking on icy paths, or be frightened by whipping, kicking, or loud shouting; keepers must not frighten or beat the cows; provide sufficient clean drinking water, and do not let them drink icy cold water in cold seasons; pay attention to the cleanliness and hygiene of the cow's body and the environment, and do not overeat or overwork.
Strengthen disease prevention and control. Effectively prevent and control tuberculosis, salmonellosis and brucellosis that can cause abortion. For herds without disease, do not introduce livestock from epidemic areas; if introduction is necessary, it should be from disease-free areas, and quarantine and raising under isolation conditions should be carried out, and only after confirming there is no disease may they be mixed into the herd. Conduct regular quarantine every year, and promptly cull diseased cows when found. Vaccinate with attenuated Brucella vaccine 1-2 months before breeding dairy cows. Keepers, milkers and veterinary personnel should have regular physical examinations, and patients with tuberculosis should not come into contact with the herd. Strengthen the cleaning and disinfection of the herd and the environment, always pay attention to dairy cow hygiene, and brush them carefully, especially maintaining the abdominal hygiene of pregnant cows to prevent the occurrence of vaginitis and metritis.
Re-breed in time. When cows are 2 months after breeding, they should be checked in time, and if abortion is found, re-breed as soon as possible to avoid being empty for too long, which reduces the cow's reproductive rate and affects the economic benefits of farming.
Use anti-abortion drugs. In the early stage of pregnancy in dairy cows, progesterone should be injected to prevent miscarriage, once daily, 50-100 mg each time, once every other day, for 3-4 consecutive times.
Pay attention to daily medication. Taking certain drugs in large amounts after pregnancy may cause abortion in cows, including purgatives such as sodium sulfate and magnesium sulfate; antipyretic analgesics such as quinine sulfate; cholinomimetic drugs such as carbamylcholine, pilocarpine nitrate and trichlorfon; stimulants such as strychnine hydrochloride; accidentally taking uterine contraction drugs such as oxytocin; estrus-inducing drugs such as diethylstilbestrol and prostaglandins; antihypertensive drugs and glucocorticoids such as cortisone acetate, hydrocortisone and dexamethasone; and other drugs contraindicated in pregnancy.