Relationship between the Duration of the Parturition Phases of Dairy Cows, Body Condition and the Postpartum Uterine Inflammations

M. DIMITROV¹, J. MITEV², Z. GERGOVSKA², T. MITEVA² and N. VASILEV¹

¹ Thracian University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, BG-6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
² Thracian University, Faculty of Agriculture, BG-6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

Abstract

DIMITROV, M., J. MITEV, Z. GERGOVSKA, T. MITEVA and N. VASILEV, 2000. Relationship between the duration of the parturition phases of dairy cows, body condition and the postpartum uterine inflammations. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 6: 455-462

The study encompasses 761 calving of dairy cows from two breeds, 195 from the Bulgarian Black-and-White cattle and 566 from the Bulgarian Brown cattle. All animals have been raised on one and the same farm, tied on the barn and milked there. All cows have been given equal rations according to their physiological status and productivity in compliance with the requirements of the nutrition principles for dry and lactating cows.
Using linear models the effect of some factors on the duration of the fetus push-out (the second parturition phase) and on the time for the placenta discharge has been studied. The relationship between the duration of the two phases of parturition and their influence on the postpartum uterine inflammatory cases after calving has also been examined.
The high body condition score of cows before calving – above 4 points results in prevailing afternoon calving and extended second phase of parturition. In thin cows – below 2.5 points slight increase the duration of parturition is observed but night calving do prevail.
Cows that had extended second phase of parturition are also accompanied by a delayed placenta discharge. In calving that had taken place without assistance, the discharge of placenta occurs approximately in 5.7 h., while in those with obstetric aid – in about 11.7 h.
The delayed discharge of placenta more than 10 h after the end of the second phase of parturition presupposes a significant increase in postpartum uterine inflammatory cases (from 1.8 to 2.1 times, compare to the cows with less than 10 h).

Key words: body condition score, phases of parturition, discharge of placenta, postpartum uterine inflammations, dairy cows