Use of cow-side progesterone tests to improve reproductive performance of high-producing dairy cows

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the cow-side ELISA milk progesterone test in improving postpartum reproductive performance in the Dordt College dairy herd. Cows that produced more than 18,500 lb of milk per lactation were assigned to the high production group (40 cows), while cows that produced less than 18,500 lb of milk (42 cows) were assigned to the low production group. Twenty-one cows in the high production group and 19 cows in the low production group received no ELISA testing (untreated controls), while the remaining cows in each group were evaluated by ELISA test every 7 d beginning on Day 27 post partum (treated cows). A sequence of 2 high progesterone tests and 1 low test indicated the cows were cycling normally. Cows that had low milk progesterone levels (<5 ng/ml) for 3 consecutive tests were assumed to have follicular cysts and were treated with 2 ml GnRH (Cystorelin, 50 mug/ml). Cows that had 3 consecutive high tests (>5 ng/ml) were assumed to have persistent corpora lutea (CL) and were treated with 5 ml PGF(2)alpha (Lutalyse, 5 mg/ml). In both the high and low production groups, treated cows had higher (P < 0.08) pregnancy rates by Day 210 than the untreated controls (63.2 vs 38.1% and 56.5 vs 42.1%, respectively). The days open were reduced (P < 0.05) for the treated animals by 41.6 d compared with the controls. The treated cows produced a net savings of $70.42 (US) per cow assuming a $3.00 savings/day open.