Short Communication Association of the occurrence of some diseases with reproductive performance and milk production of dairy herds in southern Brazil

This study analyzed associations between the occurrence of mastitis, metritis and retained placenta with the reproductive performance and milk production of four Holstein dairy herds of southern Brazil. Calving-to-conception intervals (CCI) and daily milk production were compared across herds, number of artificial inseminations and clinical occurrences and occurrence of mastitis, metritis and retained placenta. The CCI of cows with three or more clinical occurrences was longer than for those with no occurrences, but shorter for cows with retained placenta than for those without it. Cows with clinical mastitis up to 60 days post-partum had shorter CCI than those with mastitis after 60 days. Cows with retained placenta also had higher frequency of metritis. The daily milk production was higher for cows with three or more clinical occurrences than for those with one or none and for those without retained placenta than for those with retained placenta. A high number of clinical occurrences was related to prolonged CCI and increased daily milk production.