Occurrence of Retained Placenta and Its Management in Crossbred Dairy Cattle in Kaduna State

This study documents the occurrence, predisposing factors, and clinical management approaches for retained placenta (RP) in crossbred dairy cattle on smallholder farms in Kaduna State, located in Nigeria's North West geopolitical zone. Retained placenta, defined as failure to expel foetal membranes within 12 hours of calving, is a leading cause of postpartum reproductive disorders and reduced fertility in dairy cattle, contributing to extended calving intervals and economic losses. Using a prospective observational design, 180 calvings on 45 smallholder dairy farms across four local government areas in Kaduna State were monitored from parturition to 30 days postpartum. Information on calving conditions, colostrum management, body condition score at calving, and subsequent reproductive events was recorded. Blood samples collected within 24 hours of calving were analysed for selenium, vitamin E, and calcium concentrations. Findings revealed a retained placenta incidence of 22.2 percent, significantly higher than international benchmarks of five percent. Selenium deficiency, twin birth, dystocia, and overcrowding were identified as the strongest risk factors. Farmers most commonly responded with manual removal (56%), despite evidence that non-traumatic conservative management reduces complications. Metritis developed in 38 percent of RP cases. The study recommends selenium supplementation in dry cow programmes, veterinary-guided conservative management protocols, and postpartum monitoring systems as priority interventions for reducing RP impact in Kaduna State dairy herds. Keywords: retained placenta, dairy cattle, Kaduna State, postpartum, reproductive health.