Transition and postpartum period in bovine female: review of literature

Abstract

The bovine female pass critical moments between one parturition and another, the transition period being one of them. The transition period is characterized by a three-week interval before and after delivery, where significant metabolic changes are observed as a result of hormonal changes and energy demand for the initiation of lactation. The postpartum period, which extends from the moment of expulsion of the fetal attachments to the complete uterine involution, ends at around the fiftieth day postpartum. During the uterine involution period, the return of the ovarian cycle is expected to occur as quickly as possible, two to three weeks after delivery, in a dairy cow. In the postpartum period, much of the alterations capable of affecting both uterine involution and the return to cyclic ovarian activity occur, affecting the reproductive efficiency of the female. Among the animals affected by these alterations, those with a pronounced negative energy balance stand out, which emphasizes the importance of adequate nutritional management for the full establishment of the bovine female the reproductive capacity. Considering the complexity of the transition period and the postpartum period, the objective of this study is to review relevant aspects of the literature on the characteristics inherent to the periods mentioned in the dairy cow, as well as the main changes that may occur.