Metritis in dairy cows: Risk factors and reproductive performance

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to assess the risk factors for metritis, its effects on milk yield and on reproductive performance, and the efficacy of ceftiofur therapy in Holstein dairy cows. Cows (n=303) from a commercial dairy herd in Argentina were studied. Cows were scored for body condition, and blood samples were collected on d -14, 7, 21, 31, 41, and 50 relative to parturition. Cows having a watery, purulent, or brown, and fetid vaginal discharge (VD) and rectal temperature ≤ 39.2°C were diagnosed as having clinical metritis, and those having a similar VD and rectal temperature >39.2°C were diagnosed as having puerperal metritis. Both clinical and puerperal metritis cows were randomly assigned to control (no treatment) or ceftiofur group (2.2mg/kg×3 consecutive days). Cure was declared if clear VD was observed at 21 d in milk (DIM). Blood samples were analyzed for nonesterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, and blood urea nitrogen using commercial kits, and for insulin-like growth factor-1, insulin, and leptin by RIA. Data were analyzed with PROC MIXED, GENMOD, PHREG, and LIFETEST from SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). The risk for metritis increased with dystocia, retained fetal membranes, and dead calf [AOR (adjusted odds ratio)=2.58, 95% CI: 1.189-5.559], and as prepartum nonesterified fatty acids levels increased (AOR=1.001, 95% CI: 0.999-1.002). Conversely, risk decreased as prepartum insulin-like growth factor-1 increased (AOR=0.65, 95% CI: 0.349-1.219). Cows having either clinical or puerperal metritis produced less milk by 90 DIM than did healthy cows (2,236 ± 172 vs. 2,367 ± 77 vs. 2,647 ± 82 kg, respectively). Cows with puerperal metritis had lower risk for pregnancy by 100 DIM (AOR=0.189, 95% CI: 0.070-0.479) and a lower hazard rate for pregnancy by 150 DIM (hazard rate: 0.753, 95% CI: 0.621-0.911), and took longer to get pregnant (129 vs. 111 vs. 109 d, for puerperal metritis, clinical metritis, and healthy cows, respectively). Ceftiofur treatment was not associated with cure rate or milk yield but was related to increased risk for pregnancy at timed artificial insemination (AOR=2.688, 95% CI: 0.687-10.832), and for lower risk of reproductive cull (AOR=0.121, 95% CI: 0.014-1.066). In conclusion, abnormal calving and negative energy balance are associated with increased risk for metritis. Metritis, especially puerperal metritis, correlates with reduced milk production and poor reproductive performance. Finally, the likelihood for having a normal VD (indicative of cure) increased 2.6% for every day of increase in postpartum time and was 2 times higher for cows with clinical metritis than for those with puerperal metritis.

Role of mast cells in cow metritis

“…Metritis is caused by pathogens identified as facultative pathogenic bacteria (12,22). Many of them commonly exist, however, in cows 10-14 days after delivery (23) and the immune status of a cow's uterus determines the onset of metritis (22).…”

Scientific Opinion on the assessment of dairy cow welfare in small‐scale farming systems

“…Estimates of the risk of culling are variable (reviewed by Beaudeau et al, 2000), with some studies finding an "unfavourable association" between metritis and culling, but others not (see also Bonneville-Hebert et al, 2011). Similarly, Giuliodori et al (2013) found a lower risk of pregnancy and Ribeiro et al (2013) a lower pregnancy rate per artificial insemination for cows with metritis, while metritis did not affect firstservice conception rate or 150 days' pregnancy rate in the study of Benzaquen et al (2007).…”

“…More severe stages of the disease are associated with systemic signs of ill health such as fever (Giuliodori et al, 2013). According to a review by Galvao (2012), the average incidence is about 20 %, but reported incidences vary substantially, from as low as 2-4 % (Gröhn et al, 1990;Fourichon et al, 2001;Koeck et al, 2010;Yin et al, 2014), to 8-11 % (Garcia et al, 2005;Hossein-Zadeh and Ardalan, 2011;Koeck et al, 2012) and even 39 % (Martinez et al, 2012).…”

Endometritis subclínica y tasa de gestación en vacas lecheras en México

“…Viendo a la endometritis subclínica desde una perspectiva práctica, la estrategia para disminuir su prevalencia consiste en disminuir la incidencia de patologías del puerperio y, aunque la etiología de estas patologías es multifactorial, una constante que determina en gran medida la evolución de las vacas durante el puerperio son los cambios metabólicos ocasionados por la pérdida de condición corporal posparto. Las vacas más susceptibles a las patologías uterinas posparto son las que pierden mayor condición corporal después del parto (9,20,21) . Cabe señalar que la endometritis subclínica no es una patología exclusiva del ganado lechero, sino también se ha diagnosticado en bovinos en sistemas de producción de carne (22,23) .…”