Abstract
In this randomized controlled trial on four commercial grazing dairy farms, we investigated whether pegbovigrastim (PEG) treatment affects clinical mastitis (CM) and uterine disease (i.e. retained placenta (RP), metritis and endometritis) occurrence during a full lactation. The association of prepartum body condition score and prepartum non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentration with disease occurrence was also evaluated. Holstein cows were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: first PEG dose approximately 7 d before the expected calving date and a second dose within 24 h after calving (PEG) compared to untreated controls (Control). In total, 2,153 animals were included in the study: 733 primiparous cows (Control = 391, PEG = 342) and 1420 multiparous cows (Control = 723, PEG = 697). Treatment effects were evaluated with generalized linear mixed models and Cox’s proportional hazard models. Treatment with PEG reduced the occurrence of a first case of CM during the first 30 days in milk (DIM) by 24.6% and reduced the hazard of a first case and the rate of total cases of CM during the full lactation. All PEG treatment effects were independent of parity. Prepartum body condition score interacted with PEG treatment: in over-conditioned cows, PEG reduced the occurrence of a first case of CM during the first 30 DIM by 49.5%. The hazard analysis of a first case of CM during the full lactation suggested that the preventive effect of PEG disappeared with increasing DIM. Treatment with PEG did not affect the occurrence of RP or metritis. Pegbovigrastim treated cows with metritis subsequently showed a reduced occurrence of endometritis compared to control cows with metritis. Pegbovigrastim reduces the occurrence of CM particularly in cows at risk of elevated lipid mobilization, and PEG ameliorates the uterine healing process in cows that experienced metritis.
Highlights
The high prevalence of metabolic and infectious diseases that dairy cows experience during the first month of lactation is a main concern to the dairy industry
When testing the overall treatment effect, we found that treatment with PEG reduced the occurrence of a first case of clinical mastitis (CM) during the first 30 days in milk (DIM) by 24.6% (Control = 18.3%, PEG = 13.8%; P = 0.03)
Treatment with PEG reduced the occurrence of a first case of CM during the first 30 DIM in grazing dairy cows and reduced the hazard of a first case and the rate of total cases of CM during the full lactation
Summary
The high prevalence of metabolic and infectious diseases that dairy cows experience during the first month of lactation is a main concern to the dairy industry. The risk for disease in early lactation has been associated, among other causes, with the negative energy balance (NEB) that takes place during the transition period [1]. The rate and extent of energy mobilization from fat tissues has been linked to an increased risk of periparturient metabolic and clinical disorders during the transition period [2, 7]. Roche et al [7] reported that over-conditioned cows (BCS > 3.5)—that mobilize more fat reserves than cows with a moderate BCS (3–3.5)—had more mastitis, and suggested that high BCS is related to an impaired energy and lipid metabolism that may affect the immune response in these cows. The relationship between thin cows and the risk of periparturient metabolic disorders is less consistent [7], cows with a low BCS (BCS < 3) had more mastitis relative to cows with a moderate BCS, and low BCS has been reported as a risk factor for uterine disease [7, 8]
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