Understanding and minimizing pregnancy loss in cattle
Abstract
"Loss of a pregnancy (Figure 1) among cattle can occur from a variety of causes, ranging from environmental factors, like weather, to factors that can be managed proactively, like nutrition and timing of transport. Any management or environmental factor that negatively affects the ability of a female to calve early in the calving season has significant impacts on reproductive efficiency and overall production within a herd. Minimizing pregnancy loss within a herd is important and can be accomplished with good management. This can include limiting the stress placed on pregnant animals and taking preventative measures against diseases and other causes of pregnancy loss. The majority of pregnancy loss occurs within the first 30 days of gestation (Figure 2), with much of this loss being early embryonic loss. Very early losses can be difficult to identify, as losses prior to maternal recognition of pregnancy do not affect the length of an estrous cycle. This publication details some common causes of pregnancy loss and provides management practices that can help minimize the incidence of pregnancy loss."--First page.
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