Effect of retained placenta on subsequent bacteriological and cytological intrauterine environment and reproduction in holstein dairy cows

doi:10.1016/S0093-691X(97)00278-1

Theriogenology

Volume 48, Issue 4, September 1997, Pages 617-624

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0093-691X(97)00278-1 Get rights and content

Abstract

To determine the effect of retained placenta on the characteristics of the intrauterine environment in dairy cows, bacteriological and cytological tests were performed on intrauterine perfusion fluid. The rate of cows with more than 70% neutrophils or fewer than 40% Iymphocytes in inflammatory cells was 48.0% ( $1225$ ), while the rate and with more than 50 bacterial colonies/0.1 ml of perfusate was 96.0% ( $2425$ ) at 30 d after parturition. $Actinomyces pyogenes$ was isolated from 56.0% ( $1425$ ). At 60 d after parturition, however, these values were significantly improved to 20.0% ( $525$ ), 48.0% ( $1225$ ) and 12.0% ( $325$ ), respectively. No significant differences in subsequent reproductive performance were observed between cows with and without retained placenta. The results suggest that injury to the intrauterine environment caused by retained placenta is largely healed by 60 d after parturition.

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Citation Excerpt :
This dose of T. pyogenes was sufficient to induce pyometra in cows when infused into the uterus for three consecutive days during the luteal phase [6]. The T. pyogenes used in this study was isolated [14] from a cow with postpartum endometritis. The four remaining control cows were infused with 10 mL of sterile physiological saline only (control).
To study ovarian responses to long-term intrauterine infusions of Trueperella pyogenes (T. pyogenes), 12 nonlacting Holstein cows were transcervically infused with 10 mL of a bacterial solution (8–19 × 10⁸ colony-forming units/mL), and the uteri of another four cows (control) were similarly infused with sterile physiological saline. Infusions were done six times, every 3 days from Days 3 to 18 (Day 0 = day of spontaneous ovulation). Development of ovarian follicles and the CL were monitored with transrectal, real-time ultrasonography. In five of the experimentally infected cows (group A), the CL, which developed after Day 0, regressed without maturing, and the first dominant follicle (DF) ovulated (mean ± SEM interovulatory interval, 8.6 ± 0.5 days). In group A, plasma 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF_2α (PGFM) concentrations rose sharply on Day 6, but plasma progesterone concentrations did not increase substantially (as in the control) and were maintained at approximately 2.5 ng/mL after the first DF ovulated. In seven of the 12 infected cows (group B), the developing CL which formed after Day 0 matured and the second DF ovulated. However, the CL lifespan was shorter (P < 0.01) and the second DF ovulated earlier than in control (interovulatory interval, 16.0 ± 0.4 days and 22.3 ± 1.9 days; P < 0.01). Although there was no sharp increase in PGFM in group B, it tended to be high between Days 11 and 18. In conclusion, long-term, intrauterine infusions of T. pyogenes caused the CL to regress prematurely or to have a somewhat shorter lifespan because of release of endogenous PGF_2α.
The roles of PGF<inf>2α</inf> and PGE<inf>2</inf> in regression of the corpus luteum after intrauterine infusion of Arcanobacterium pyogenes in cows
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To study the effect of bacteria in the uterus on the fate of the corpus luteum (CL), Arcanobacterium pyogenes was inoculated into the uteri of cows on Day 3 (Day 0 = day of spontaneous ovulation). Plasma concentrations of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF_2α (PGFM), 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGE₂ (PGEM) and progesterone (P₄) were determined. In five cows, the developing CL regressed and first-wave dominant follicles, which normally become atretic, ovulated (Group OV) after bacterial inoculation. In another five cows (Group NOV) and five control cows, the developing CL did not regress and first-wave dominant follicles did not ovulate. In Group OV, PGFM concentrations increased by 126.2 pg/mL (from 36.8 ± 7.8 pg/mL on Day 3 to 163 ± 37.2 pg/mL on Day 6), with an increase ratio of 5.8-fold. Conversely, in Group NOV, PGFM had a greater increase of 198.4 pg/mL (from 128.2 ± 27.8 pg/mL on Day 3 to 326.6 ± 115.1 pg/mL on Day 5), but the increase ratio was only 2.3-fold. Although PGEM tended to increase in both groups, raw increases and increase ratios were small. Bacterial inoculation into the uterus stimulated the release of prostaglandins and affected the fate of the CL; in that regard, the CL was affected more by PGF_2α than by PGE₂, and the increase ratio of PGF_2α was more important than the raw increase.
Screening for high fertility in high-producing dairy cows
2006, Theriogenology
A retrospective study involving 2756 pregnancies from two commercial dairy herds in northeastern Spain determined relationships between management, production and reproductive data, and high fertility (conception before 90 days in milk) in high-producing dairy cows. High fertility was registered in 989 (35.9%) cows. The following data were recorded for each animal: herd, repeated animal (cows included two or more times within the study in which data were obtained from different lactational periods), parity (primiparous versus multiparous), previous twinning, reproductive disorders following calving (retained placenta, primary metritis) and at postpartum gynecological examination (incomplete uterine involution, pyometra and ovarian cysts), days in milk at conception, previous estrous synchronization and season of calving and conception. In order to evaluate the possible effect of high production during the peak milk yield on subsequent fertility, daily milk production at Day 50 postpartum was also recorded and cows were classified as high (≥50 kg) and low (<50 kg) producers. Logistic regression analysis indicated no significant effects of herd, repeated animal, previous twinning, reproductive disorders such as primary metritis, incomplete uterine involution, pyometra and ovarian cysts, previous estrous synchronization and season of calving and insemination. Based on the odds ratio, the likelihood of high fertility increased in high-producer cows by a factor of 6.8. High fertility was less likely for multiparous cows (by a factor of 0.35) and for cows suffering placenta retention (by a factor of 0.65). High fertile cows produced a mean of 49.5 kg milk at Day 50 postpartum, in contrast to that 43.2 kg milk of the remainder cows. These findings question the negative effect of high production on fertility. Our results indicated that high individual cow milk production can be positively related to high fertility.
Relationship between intra-uterine bacterial contamination, endotoxin levels and the development of endometritis in postpartum cows with dystocia or retained placenta
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A study was conducted to investigate the relationship between intra-uterine bacterial contamination, endotoxin levels and the development of endometritis in cows that experienced a dystocia or retained their placenta. Fifteen healthy cows, 31 cows with retained placenta (RP) and 13 cows that had dystocia were clinically examined 1 or 2 days after parturition when a uterine swab for bacteriological examination was taken. In addition, plasma and uterine lochia samples were collected to determine lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the plasma IgG anti-LPS concentrations. Subsequently, 15 RP and 6 dystocia cows were initially left untreated and another uterine swab was collected at 2 and 4 wk postpartum. Immediately after calving, RP cows had significantly higher LPS levels in uterine lochia (average of 2.24 × 10⁴ Endotoxin Units (EU)/mL) as compared to dystocia and healthy postpartum cows (average of 0.10 and 0.26 EU/mL, respectively). However, plasma LPS levels were below the detection limit (<0.036 EU/mL platelet-rich plasma) in all groups of cows. IgG anti-LPS levels in plasma were not significantly different between the 3 groups immediately postpartum (average of 26, 16 and 44 Median Units (MU)/mL) for healthy, dystocia and RP cows, respectively), but they were significantly lower when compared to plasma IgG anti-LPS levels of healthy cows at more than 2 months postpartum (mean 83 MU/mL). High LPS levels in lochia at 1 or 2 days postpartum were significantly related to abnormal cervical discharge, the presence of $Escherichia coli$ , black pigmented Gram-negative anaerobes and $Clostridium$ spp. shortly after calving, and $Arcanobacterium pyogenes$ and Gram-negative anaerobes in the uterus at 14 days postpartum. These results suggest that the presence of $E. coli$ and LPS (endotoxins) in lochia early postpartum favor the development of uterine infections by $A. pyogenes$ and Gram-negative anaerobes later postpartum. LPS were not observed in plasma, suggesting that either they are not absorbed into the blood, or they are efficiently detoxified by IgG anti-LPS or other detoxification mechanisms.
Effect of disease on reproduction in the dairy cow: A meta-analysis
2000, Theriogenology
Effects on reproduction of dystocia, stillbirth, abortion, milk fever, retained placenta, metritis, cystic ovaries, anestrus, ketosis, displaced abomasum, locomotor disorders, and mastitis were reviewed. Papers were considered if they provided quantitative estimates of diseases on days to first estrus, days to first service, conception rate at first service, days from first service to conception, days to conception or days open, calving interval, conception rates at various days post partum (dpp), and number of services per conception or per cow. Only papers in English in peer-reviewed journals were selected for analysis of post 1960 data from intensive dairy regions. Seventy papers fulfilled the selection criteria. Summary estimates of disease effects were calculated according to meta-analysis methods, and study designs were described in detail to identify possible heterogeneity of the results. Stillbirth, milk fever, displaced abomasum and mastitis had no effect on reproduction. Clinical ketosis, dystocia and retained placenta were associated with 2 to 3 more days to first service and with a 4 to 10% lower conception rate at first service, resulting in 6 to 12 more days to conception. Locomotor disorders were associated with an average increase of 12 d to conception, with wide variation depending on lesions and stage of occurrence. Metritis was associated with 7 more days to first service, 20% lower conception rate at first service, resulting in 19 more days to conception. Cystic ovaries were associated with 6 to 11 more days to first service and with 20 to 30 more days to conception. Anestrus was associated with 26 more days to first service and with an 18% lower conception rate at first service, resulting in 41 more days to conception. Abortion was associated with 70 to 80 more days to conception.
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Effect of retained placenta on subsequent bacteriological and cytological intrauterine environment and reproduction in holstein dairy cows

Abstract

J Dairy Sci

Prev Med

J Dairy Sci

J Dairy Sci

J Dairy Sci

Theriogenology

Theriogenology

J Dairy Sci