FDA approves CIDRs for dairy cows

URBANA, Ill. – The Eazi-Breed CIDR, an intravaginal device that should improve reproductive efficiency in dairy cows, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Marketed by Pfizer Animal Health, the device helps regulate estrus in lactating dairy cows.

“This is extremely important news for dairy producers,” said Darrel Kesler, a professor of reproductive physiology in the department of animal sciences.

Kesler conducted trials that led to the approval.

Safe. “The pivotal tests, which were conducted in Michigan, Florida, New York, California, and Illinois, demonstrate that the product is safe for both the cows and consumers of milk products,” Kesler said.

The product is being used with beef cattle and dairy heifers. It was not previously approved for dairy cattle because of safety concerns to humans through milk consumption.

“The tests demonstrate that the level of progesterone in the milk of cows with the device is actually less than the level in pregnant dairy cows. Humans have been drinking milk from pregnant dairy cows for centuries.”

How it works. The device releases natural progesterone that synchronizes estrus, Kesler explained.

This allows producers to make better-informed breeding decisions, a major factor in dairy profitability.

Kesler said he believes the device will have its greatest economic impact in dairy cows.

“Synchronizing estrus has been a big problem in the dairy industry,” he said. “Getting dairy cows successfully re-bred while they are lactating has been very difficult.

“Gaining FDA approval for this device will be an important boost for producers in addressing the reproduction problem.”

Trial data. The trial that Kesler led involved a large dairy operation in Peoria. Data from that trial and the others created some 10,000 pages of information that was evaluated for more than a year by FDA scientists before approval was given in late July.

“The trials and the data showed the device is safe and effective,” he said.