Induction of parturition in a commercial dairy herd: clinical management and treatment

Twenty-six dairy cattle were treated with dexamethasone during medium to late pregnancy to induce premature calving. Thirteen produced calves within an average of 5-6 days of treatment. The remainder were given a subsequent injection of cloprostenol 10 days after the steroid treatment and, with one exception, all calved within the following two days. A high incidence of retained placenta was experienced, in common with other methods of inducing parturition, but this was not generally found to be associated with detrimental effects on health or fertility.