Effect of prostaglandin F2α administration during the first postpartum hours on the serum calcium concentration of dairy cows

Abstract

Subclinical hypocalcemia occurs frequently in dairy cows and predisposes them to reproductive pathologies. Prostaglandin F2a (PGF2a) improves uterine health and increases the level of serum calcitriol in other species. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sodium cloprostenol on serum calcium, metabolites of vitamin D and reproductive variables. Eighty multiparous Holstein cows were selected and randomized into two groups. The cows in Group 1 (n = 38) were treated with 500 µg of I M sodium cloprostenol, a synthetic analog of PGF2a, at 1 and 48 h postpartum. Group 2 was the control group (n = 42). Blood samples were taken from 10 animals per group at 1, 3, 12, 24, 48 h and 7 d postcalving. The incidence of retained placenta, metritis and endometritis and the number of open days were recorded. The concentrations of Ca, P, Mg, calcidiol and calcitriol in the serum were evaluated using an analysis of variance for repeated measures design. The serum Ca concentration was increased up to normalized at day 7 in the PGF2α group compared with the level in the control group. PGF2α treatment increased the serum calcium concentration and reduced the number of open days, and thus, could be useful in preventing subclinical hypocalcemia and postpartum reproductive problems.