Relationship between the close-up period feeding condition and occurrence of dystocia or postpartum disease in Holstein heifers

Abstract

This study evaluated rumen fill score (RFS), rumen volume (RV), and rumen contents (RC), indicators of feeding condition, at pre- and post-feeding in 23 Holstein heifers during the close-up period (three weeks prepartum). In addition, the relationships with the occurrence of dystocia or postpartum disease were investigated. Heifers with eutocia (calving difficulty score 1 ; n＝8) demonstrated higher pre-feeding RV at 0.5 weeks prepartum and post-feeding RFS at 2.0 weeks prepartum (P < 0.05) than those with dystocia (calving difficulty score more than 3 ; n ＝ 8). Heifers with ketosis or uterine disease (n ＝ 6, including 4 heifers with concurrent disease) had lower pre-feeding RFS (2.0 to 0.5 weeks prepartum), RC (2.0 and 1.0 weeks prepartum), and lower pre- and post-feeding RV (1.0 and 0.5 weeks prepartum) compared to that of healthy heifers (n ＝ 15) during the close-up period (P < 0.05). In addition, they presented pre-feeding RFS of 3.0 or less between 2.0 and 0.5 weeks prepartum. Therefore, during the close-up period, heifers with dystocia displayed decreases in post-feeding RFS and pre-feeding RV. In addition, heifers with ketosis or uterine disease displayed decreases in pre-feeding RFS and RC, and pre- and post-feeding RV. Consequently, these indicators can be useful in preventing the occurrence of dystocia and postpartum disease.