Retained placenta is the failure of the placenta to be expelled within 12 hours post-calving. It usually drops quickly; if the placenta retains for more than 24 hrs of parturition, then it is called ‘Retention of Placenta’ (ROP).
Retention of placenta creates many problems, such as
- Fever,
- Weight loss,
- Infection in the uterus,
Retained placenta causes heavy financial losses due to
- Decreased milk production,
- High treatment costs and
- The low market value of the animal.
Causes of retained placenta
The following factors cause the problem:
- Abortion
- When the cow produces twin calves, the uterus becomes weak, causing the retained placenta
- In cases of milk fever, the lack of muscle power can weaken the animal and reduce its ability to push out or expel the placenta.
- Dirty cattle shed may lead to early placenta infection that may cause inflammation.
- Lack of Vitamin E or selenium deficiency may reduce muscle power in the uterus during calving.
- Other conditions such as poor feeding, liver flukes and copper deficiency may lead to general weakness and retained placenta.
- Overfeeding grain to dry cows (greater than 0.5% of bodyweight).
- Excessive calcium from too much legume forage fed to dry cows (over 25-30% of forage dry matter intake).
- Calcium and phosphorus deficiency; inadequate supplementation for dry cows.
- Excessive vitamin D (over 50,000 to 100,000 units daily).
Reproductive Impact of Retained Placenta
- Risk of Metritis
- Risk of Mastitis
Losses due to infertility and low milk production
In dairy cows, the retained placenta is the cause of severe economic losses to the farmers as cows with retained placenta develop bacterial infection and become ill, thus reducing production. Some may even die.
Milk from cows with the retained placenta is unfit for human consumption and cannot be sold.
Retained placenta causes heavy financial losses due to
- Minimize stressful conditions during the dry period and at calving.
- Prevent milk fever.
- Evaluate dry cow ration.
- Provide 0.3 part per million selenium in total ration dry matter for milking and dry cows.
- If special supplementation is not used for dry cows, administer 50 mg of selenium and 680 units of vitamin E as an injection about three weeks before calving.
- Provide cows with fresh forage as green- chop or pasture for at least four to six weeks each year.
- Prevent cows from becoming over-conditioned .
- Ensure adequate vitamins A and E equivalent intake:
Provide about 135,000 total units of vitamin A for dry cows and 150,000 for milk cows; 2,000 to 3,000 units of vitamin E for dry cows and 1,000 to 1,500 units for milk cows total daily from all sources (natural and supplemental) with 1 mg of carotene equivalent to 400 units of vitamin A.
Metracure is a hallmark homeopathic medicine for Retained Placenta.
Metracure helps maintain natural parturition. It effectively treats and prevents inflammation, infection, and unnatural discharges from the uterus.
Vet. Metracure is also used as an:
• Effective tonic for normal parturition.
Dosage
Metracure is a 200 ml liquid medicine. One dose of Metra-cure is approx. 10 ml.
Method
1. Metracure can be given directly to the animal through the tongue OR
2. Metracure can be mixed with 50 grams of jaggery/bran/grain and given to the animal.
In case of a history of the retained placenta, Metracure should be given for 15 days before the date of parturition.
Metracure should be given every hour until the placenta is shredded off in the acute situation.
