Dairy farming business has become one of the agricultural revitalization programs in improving food security, availability, and accessibility. However, cases of reproductive disorders in dairy cows are still happening.

One sign is the low reproduction efficiency due to a decrease in conception rates (Service per Conception, S / C), Days Open (DO) that is shorter or longer than normal, and a longer range of calving (Calving Interval, CI), thus affecting population decline and national milk supply.

One of the causes of this reproduction disorder is a bacterial infection, either non-specific or specific bacteria. Infection due to non-specific bacteria often causes metritis, which can inhibit the process of fertilization, implantation, and pregnancy. A clinical symptom does not follow it, so it is difficult to detect. Meanwhile, specific bacterial infections are usually known as sexually transmitted diseases, which are characterized by the presence of retention fetal membrane (RFM).

On the other hand, the partnership pattern is one model of cooperation that is considered capable of ensuring the sustainability of high-quality raw material supplies for production needs and forms of support for farmers to improve people’s welfare. The dairy cow partnership pattern has been regulated in Permentan Number 26 of 2017 concerning the Supply and Distribution of Milk.

Is implementing a partnership pattern capable of preventing or minimizing adverse effects due to postpartum infection? The observation on one of the dairy business partnerships owned by a well-known company in Sumbersuko Village, Wagir Sub-district, Malang Regency from 2016 to 2017, found that 74 dairy cows experiencing reproductive disorders.

There were 58 dairy cows indicated with RFM, while 16 others indicated metritis. The post-partum infection may occur due to the barn lacking cleanliness before the delivery, incorrect postpartum uterine handling, lack of hygiene aid kit birth and artificial insemination equipment contaminated with various microorganisms that cause inflammation and the presence of toxic fluid in the uterus.

The reproductive performance of dairy cows can be determined by the values ​​of S / C, DO, and CI. The average S / C value of 74 dairy cows that experienced postpartum infection was 3.36. In details, dairy cows having S / C = 1 were 13 (17.57%); S / C = 2 were 17 cows (22.97%); S / C = 3 were 20 cows (27.03%); S / C = 4 were 10 cows (13.51%); S / C = 5 were 4 cows (5.41%); and S / C ≥ 6 were 10 cows (13.51%). The average value of the S / C was higher than the ideal value ranging from 1.6 to 2.0, so the level of fertility of dairy cattle with post-partum infection was not so good.

The dry period of dairy cows is ideally between 85-115 days or no more than 120 days. Observations on dairy cows who experienced postpartum infection found 16 cows had a dry period between 60-90 days; 14 cows with a dry period of 90-120 days; and 42 cows have a dry period of more than 120 days. The overall average value was 160 days. The longer, the greater the loss due to decreasing milk production and additional maintenance costs and longer calving distances.

The average CI value of 74 dairy cows who experienced postpartum infection was 432 days (14 months 12 days). The reproduction performance of dairy cows is good if the mother cows can produce one calf in one year provided that the calf distance does not exceed 12 months or around 360–400 days.

The type of postpartum infection can cause different reproductive performance values ​​for dairy cows. Dairy cows suffering from metritis have higher S / C and CI value ​​than dairy cows suffering from RFM, but have lower DO values.

However, the value of reproduction performance from the two types of infection is still higher compared to the ideal value of the reproductive performance of dairy cows. So that this partnership pattern has not been able to prevent or minimize the impact of postpartum infection on the reproductive performance of dairy cows. It certainly should be of particular concern both to farmers and partners to pay more attention to the reproductive health of cattle through improved maintenance, sanitation, and barn hygiene to prevent the occurrence of postpartum infections.

Author: Diyantoro drh., M.Si.

Details of the research available at:

 (http://www.ivj.org.in/users/members/viewarticles.aspx?Y=2019&I=787#)