Repeat Breeder Syndrome Therapies in Dairy Cows: A Review

Repeat breeder (RB) cows are clinically healthy animals with regular oestrous cycles that do not become pregnant after three or more services. This syndrome has an incidence ranging between 10.1% and 24%. Repeat breeder syndrome (RBS) in dairy cows leads to economic losses to dairy farmers by increasing the calving interval and consequently reducing milk and calf production. RBS has a complex oetiopathogenesis as many factors are involved in its onset. The causes can be grouped into two categories: causes leading to fertilisation failure and factors leading to early embryonic death. Accurate identification of the cause and early diagnosis of RBS is essential to minimise the problems that this issue brings to the farm, but is not always possible. Hypothesising the underlying aetiology of the syndrome is also crucial for targeted therapy, whether pharmacological or managerial. The aim of this review is to report the different therapies, proposed in the literature, for the treatment of RBS in cattle, based on the knowledge of possible aetiological causes.