Prophylactic treatment with administration of Selenium and combination of Selenium and Vitamin E for placental retention and postpartum reproductive efficacy in dairy cows

ABSTRACT

Sixty Friesian and crossbred cows were used to determine the effects of treatment with selenium with or without vitamin E on retained placenta [RP] and some reproductive parameters. At about 30 days before estimated calving date, 20 cows were injected i.m. with 10 mg selenium and 500 mg vitamin E and other 20 cows were injected with 50 mg selenium alone. Twenty uninjected cows served as controls. Treatment had significant effects on retention of placenta, selenium and vitamin E [2/20, 10%] was more effective in preventing placental retention than did selenium injection alone [5/20, 25%] and control ones [10/20, 50%]. Additionally, treatment had significant effects on days to conception [77.0 +/- 2.5, 92.9 +/- 2.7 vs 106.7 +/- 2.5] and conception rate [90%, 65% vs 45%] in selenium and vitamin E, selenium-treated cows and control ones, respectively. Interestingly, the incidence of newborn mortality was 10% in both selenium and vitamin E and selenium alone, whereas, it was 30% in control group. In feeds selenium concentrations in concentrate and green grass [Darawa] were 0.013 ug/g and 0.26 ug/g, respectively