Retained fetal membranesRetained fetal membranes (RFM) are defined as the failure of an animal to expel the fetal membranes, within 24 hours of the end of parturition. Retained placenta is an alternative name used for RFM. There is some variation in the literature about the duration of retention that defines the clinical disorder. Some prefer to define retention as being for12 hours, but the timing is arbitrary and most normal cows expel the fetal membranes within a few hours of parturition. The incidence of RFM varies amongst herds, but is typically 5 to 10% of animals.The importance of RFM is that they are associated with reduced milk yield and an increased risk of metritis. MetritisMetritis is most common within 10 days of parturition. Metritis is characterized by an enlarged uterus and a watery red-brown fluid, to viscous off-white purulent, uterine discharge, which often has a fetid odour (Sheldon et al 2006). The incidence of metritis varies between breed, country and herd, but in a study of the records from 97,318 cows in the USA, the lactation incidence of metritis, including RFM, was 21% (Zwald et al 2004). However, in some studies the incidence is as high as 40% of the herd. The associated clinical signs are used to classify the severity of disease, which varies from unapparent disease to fatal toxaemic metritis. Clinical endometritisClinical endometritis is defined as the presence of a purulent uterine discharge detectable in the vagina of cattle 21 days or more postpartum, or a mucopurulent discharge detectable in the vagina after 26 days postpartum (Sheldon et al 2006). The incidence of clinical endometritis is around 10 to 20%, with variation between breed, country and herd; a typical study reported that 16.9% of 1,865 dairy cows were affected in Canada (LeBlanc et al

Uterine disease is a common cause of infertility and thus economic loss in dairy herds, yet in many herds the true incidence of disease is unknown. Accurate monitoring, identification and recording are essential to highlight when the incidence of uterine disease is too high and intervention is required. While prevention is always preferable to cure, when cases of uterine disease do occur it is important that they are treated and managed correctly to reduce any further impact on subsequent performance. This clinical forum will review the different presentations of uterine disease and seek the opinions of an expert panel on their approach to its management, monitoring and investigation.

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