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Initiation of Parturition in Dairy Cows with Dexamethasone. II. Response to Dexamethasone in Combination with Estradiol Benzoate^{1 ,2,}

Dairy Science Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings, 57006
, and Department of Dairy Husbandry, University of Missouri, Columbia 65201

ABSTRACT

Parturition was initiated in 26 Holstein cows given dexamethasone (4.4 mg/100 kg body weight) in combination with 25 mg estradiol benzoate intramuscularly at day 273 of gestation. Parturition occurred at 40.8 ± 9.6 h after injection. Twenty-six control cows had an average gestation length of 281.5 days. Calving difficulty was not different although birth weight of calves was 2.5 kg less for induced cows compared with control cows. Severity of udder edema did not differ between groups. Average daily milk production for the first 9 wk of lactation was lower (24.2 versus 27.7 kg) from induced than control groups. Incidence of retained placental membranes was 50 and 4% for induced and control cows. Serum estrogens were lower (290 versus 601 pg/ml) in induced than in control cows 2 days prior to parturition. Groups did not differ in serum calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, days to first heat, days to first breeding, days to conception, or in fat, protein, and total solids content of colostrum. Casein in colostrum of induced cows was lower. Results of California Mastitis Tests at 15 and 30 days postpartum were similar.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station as Publication #1332 of the Journal Series.

² This research was a part of regional research project NC-119, Improving Large Dairy Herd Management Practices.

³ Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706.

⁴ Dairy Science Department, South Dakota State University, Brookings 57006.

⁵ Department of Dairy Husbandry, University of Missouri, Columbia 65201. Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station, Journal Series No. 7299, approved by the Director.

⁶ Experiment Station Statistician, South Dakota State University, Brookings 57006.