Abstract
The incidence of retained placenta (RP) in cows increases in cases of parturition induced by prostaglandin F2α. We analyzed the effects of different doses of supplemental selenium and vitamin E on the incidence of RP, blood selenium, plasma thyronines, and malondialdehyde concentration. Thirty-three clinically healthy, multiparous Holstein-Frisian cows were assigned to 3 groups and supplemented with a single intramuscular injection of sodium selenite (SS) and tocopherol acetate (TAc) between days 250 to 255 of gestation: control—unsupplemented; group A—10 mg SS + 400 mg TAc; group B—20 mg SS + 800 mg TAc. Parturition was induced using PGF2α not before day 275 of gestation. The RP incidence was reduced from 66.7% in the control to 38.2 and 30.8% in groups A and B, respectively. Blood selenium and glutathione peroxidase activity in treated groups were significantly higher compared to control, with no significant difference between groups A and B. Plasma malondialdehyde in group B was significantly lower than that in control and group A, while thyronines levels were not affected. Comparison of RP and non-RP cows, independently of supplement treatment, revealed higher blood selenium and glutathione peroxidase activity and lower MDA and thyroxine in non-RP animals, while triiodothyronine level did not differ.
Highlights
Induced parturition in cows may have several technological and medical advantages over spontaneous delivery, such as avoiding unattended night-time calving, providing colostrum to the newborn in time, preventing dystocia caused by relative fetal oversize, dealing with fetal deformities, and hydroallantois [1]
The treatment of cows with 10 mg sodium selenite (SS) and 400 mg tocopherol acetate (TAc) reduced the incidence of retained placenta from 66.7% in the control group to 38.2% in group A, while treatment with 20 mg SS and 800 mg TAc further reduced RP to 30.8% in group B (Table 1)
Blood selenium concentrations and glutathione peroxidases (GPx) activities in both treated groups (A or B) were significantly higher compared to the control; there were no significant differences between groups A and B
Summary
Induced parturition in cows may have several technological and medical advantages over spontaneous delivery, such as avoiding unattended night-time calving, providing colostrum to the newborn in time, preventing dystocia caused by relative fetal oversize, dealing with fetal deformities, and hydroallantois [1]. The major problem arising from this procedure is a dramatic rise in the incidence of retained placenta (RP), up to 80% in some cases [2], no other serious harmful effects on cows and calves have been reported [3]. Retained placenta (RP) is a reproductive disorder seen in cows and water buffalos. It is characterized by the inability of the animal to expel fetal membranes within 12 hours after
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