The product studied is a prescription-only veterinary medicine. Consult the label approved in your market for indications, dose, route and withdrawal period. Important safety information.
Key result
In 1,271 predominantly Holstein cows across three confined herds in northern Italy, median time to conception was 77 days in the treated group (n = 597) versus 96 days in controls (n = 674), p = 0.03. The hazard ratio for pregnancy was 1.15 (95% CI 1.00–1.32; p = 0.04) across all cows and 1.25 (95% CI 1.04–1.50; p = 0.01) in multiparous animals. In primiparous animals no association was found (p = 0.56), and the treatment × parity interaction only tended to significance (p = 0.06); the treatment × farm interaction was not significant (p = 0.74).
No difference was detected in any post-partum health trait, and the treated group was numerically worse in all three: retained placenta 8.9% versus 7.3% (p = 0.29), puerperal metritis 22.4% versus 19.1% (p = 0.15) and clinical mastitis 8.2% versus 7.0% (p = 0.40). Treatment groups did not differ at enrolment in parity distribution, previous gestation length, age at first calving, previous days dry, previous 305-day mature-equivalent milk production or previous days open (p ≥ 0.39 for all).
Animals received two injections of a solution containing Zn 60 mg/mL, Cu 15 mg/mL, Mn 10 mg/mL and Se 5 mg/mL, at 1 mL/100 kg body weight, subcutaneously: the first at dry-off for cows and at 58 ± 8 days pre-calving for heifers, the second around 30 ± 6 days pre-calving.
Conclusions
In the current study, trace mineral strategic injection at dry-off and pre-calving significantly reduced time to pregnancy and increased risk for pregnancy, especially in multiparous cows, but was not associated with health traits post-calving.
How to cite this poster
Guadagnini M, Rota N, Bettoni GM, Bonventre D, Frosi S, Moroni P. Strategic trace mineral injection during the dry period association with post-partum health traits and reproductive performance in dairy cows. Poster 205 presented at: 33rd World Buiatrics Congress; 2026 Sep 6–10; Istanbul, Türkiye.
Important safety information
The product studied is a prescription-only veterinary medicine. It must be prescribed and used under the direction of a licensed veterinarian. This page reports the results of one study; it is not a substitute for the approved label and does not constitute a recommendation for any individual animal or herd.
Before use, read the summary of product characteristics or package insert approved in your market for the complete indications, contraindications, warnings, dose, route of administration and pre-slaughter withdrawal period. Trace minerals administered in excess can be toxic; the margin between an effective and an excessive dose is narrow for copper and selenium in particular.
Product presentations, authorised indications and dosage differ between countries. This study was conducted in Italy with the presentation described above, and its results may not transfer to a differently formulated presentation.
To report a suspected adverse event or a suspected lack of efficacy, contact your veterinarian, the marketing authorisation holder in your country, or your national competent authority. You can also write to mguadagnini@axiota.com.
This page carries the title, authorship, the results as reported and the conclusions of the poster. The full materials and methods, the dietary trace mineral supply of each herd, both figures and the survival analysis are in the PDF above, which has a text layer and is searchable.
What the poster does not report. Controls received no injection: there was no placebo or sham-handled group, so restraint and handling at treatment are not controlled for. The poster does not state whether those recording disease or performing the pregnancy diagnosis were blinded to treatment, nor does it report an ethics or animal-care approval. Health traits were recorded over the first 30 days in milk only.
Study funded by Axiota Animal Health, manufacturer of the product studied. One of the authors is an employee of the company.