Betamethasone for the induction of parturition in dairy cows: a comparison of formulations

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Abstract
Dairy cows (553) on 27 farms were treated with betamethasone formulations to induce premature parturition. All cows received an initial s.c. injection of 20 mg betamethasone alcohol as a 10 mg/ml suspension. Cows not calved within 7 days received a s.c. injection of betamethasone as a 2 mg/ml suspension of the poorly soluble alcohol or as a 2 mg/ml solution of the sodium phosphate ester. Cows (103) calved within 7 days of initial injection (group I), 222 received an injection of the 2 mg/ml suspension (group II) and 223 were treated with the betamethasone solution (group III). Cows in group I were closer to term at time of treatment than cows in group II + III (16.6 days compared to 29.9 days). Those cows which failed to calve within 10 days of the 2nd injection were an average of 50.5 days away from term at time of treatment. The mean respone-time from 1st injection to calving was 9.6 and 9.1 days for groups II and III, respectively (P < 0.01). In group II, 68.0% of cows had calved within 2 days of receiving the 2nd injection compared to 76.7% in group III (P < 0.02). Cows (28; 6.3%) failed to calve within the allocated time and differences between groups was not significant. Calf mortality for all treatments was high; 10.6% dead at birth and 27.3% by 4 days old. Calf mortality was clearly a function of prematurity. The overall incidence of metabolic disease was 5.2%, with a difference apparent between group II (2.9%) and group III (8.1%) (P < 0.02). Retained fetal membranes were observed 24 h after calving in 18.6% of cows. The incidence of dystocia, mastitis and other illnesses was low (2.1, 6.1 and 2.9%, respectively) and no differences were detected between groups.