A field trial on the effect of propylene glycol on displaced abomasum, removal from herd, and reproduction in fresh cows diagnosed with subclinical ketosis

• Published in: Journal of dairy science 2012-05, Vol.95 (5), p.2505-2512
• Main Authors: McArt, J.A.A., Nydam, D.V., Oetzel, G.R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3-hydroxybutyric acid; Abomasum - drug effects; Animal productions; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; blood; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - drug therapy; conception; confidence interval; cows; cull; dairy cow; dairy herds; Dairying - methods; displaced abomasum; Female; field experimentation; Food industries; free stalls; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; insemination; ketosis; Ketosis - drug therapy; Ketosis - veterinary; Lactation - drug effects; milk; Milk and cheese industries. Ice creams; propylene glycol; Propylene Glycol - therapeutic use; relative risk; Reproduction - drug effects; risk reduction; Stomach Diseases - drug therapy; Stomach Diseases - veterinary; Terrestrial animal productions; Vertebrates
• ISSN: 0022-0302; 1525-3198
• DOI: 10.3168/jds.2011-4908

The purpose was to determine the effect of oral propylene glycol (PG) administration in fresh cows diagnosed with subclinical ketosis (SCK). Measured outcomes were development of displaced abomasum (DA) and removal from herd in the first 30 d in milk (DIM), conception to first service, and time to conception within 150 DIM. Cows from 4 freestall dairy herds (2 in New York and 2 in Wisconsin) were each tested 6 times for SCK from 3 to 16 DIM on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays using the Precision Xtra meter (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL). Subclinical ketosis was defined as a blood β-hydroxybutyrate concentration of 1.2 to 2.9mmol/L. Cows with SCK were randomized to treatment group (oral PG) or untreated control group (no PG); treatment cows were orally drenched with 300mL of PG once daily from the day they tested 1.2 to 2.9mmol/L until the day they tested