Comparison of prepartum serum concentration of vitamin E and selenium from dairy cows within herds with high and low incidence of retained placenta

The goal of this observational study was to compare the prepartum vitamin E and selenium concentrations of multiparous cows based on herd incidence of retained placenta membranes (RP). Within a database of 50 herds enrolled by convenience for a previous study and followed for a whole year, 5 herds with no incidence of RP and 5 herds with high incidence (≥6.5%) of RP were randomly selected. In each farm, 10 multiparous cows were randomly selected. Vitamin E and selenium were analyzed by HPLC in serum collected from 21 to 7 d before predicted calving. No significant difference was observed in the concentration of vitamin E or selenium between cows from herds with no incidence of RP and herds with high incidence of RP. Our results suggest that prepartum concentrations of vitamin E and selenium are not good indicators of herd RP incidence status, and perhaps other predictors should be explored.