Elsevier

Theriogenology

Volume 68, Issue 7, 15 October 2007, Pages 1074-1079
Theriogenology

The impact of uterine infection on a dairy cow's performance

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2007.08.010Get rights and content

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the predisposing factors leading to uterine infection in dairy cows and evaluate its impact on the cow's performance. Performance indicators included feed intake, milk fat and protein composition, milk yield, fertility and culling. Data were studied from 2914 completed lactations from the Holstein Friesian Langhill Dairy herd between January 1990 and August 2005. There were 402 cases of uterine infection (from 321 cows) in the Langhill herd, a level of 13.8% during the study period.

Calving assistance was highly associated with the incidence of uterine infection (χ2 = 106.63, P < 0.001). Failure to conceive (χ2 = 3.89, P < 0.05; χ2 = 11.20, P < 0.001) and culling (χ2 = 13.66, P < 0.001, χ2 = 8.55, P < 0.01) were also implicated with calving assistance and uterine infection, respectively. The main predisposing factors related to an incidence of uterine infection were calving assistance, twin births, malpresented calves, and retained placenta. First-time calvers and cows with a shorter gestation length were associated with more cases of uterine infections. Additionally, lower daily dry matter intakes and milk yields during the first 100 days in milk (DIM) were associated with higher incidence levels of uterine infection. Also, a higher incidence level of uterine infection was related to lower milk protein composition from 1 to 21 DIM and a poorer body condition from 101 to 300 DIM. Cows with poorer drying off body condition scores and longer lactation lengths were associated with a higher incidence level of uterine infection.

Calving assistance was associated with male and twin births, first-time calvers and cows with oversized calves. Cows with an assisted calving were also associated with an increased number of days from calving to first service. The predisposing factors influencing the occurrence of calving assistance can be influenced by suitable management to reduce the chances of oversized calves, the detrimental effects of twin births (such as calving assistance and retained placentas) and prenatal knowledge of the calf's sex. The occurrence of uterine infection can be reduced by minimising the need for assistance at calving. Assistance should only be carried out when necessary and appropriate hygiene should be used to decrease the incidence of uterine infections from intervention and involuntary culling due to cows failing to conceive.

Introduction

Management at calving plays an important role in the subsequent reproductive performance of dairy cows. Postpartum involution in cows, for example, can be impaired by infectious microorganisms ascending into the uterus via the vagina, usually as a result of poor hygiene at parturition or insemination, aided by immune suppression or tissue damage. Susceptible cows are usually those which have suffered previously from dystocia, retained placenta, twin birth, stillbirth or metabolic disorder [1], [2], [3], [4]. Noakes et al. [5] reported that contrasting hygienic environments in the cow's housing, had no influence on either the quantitative or qualitative uterine bacterial flora, therefore causal agents must have been transmitted via intervention.

In practice, inflammation of the endometrium (endometritis) is almost always associated with infection acquired at the time of calving [6], [7], [8], [9]. Le Blanc et al. [10] indicated that a high proportion of cows have spontaneous resolution of endometritis until at least 4 weeks postpartum, and Falkenberg and Heuwieser [11] proposed that treatment should be reserved for cases diagnosed after 26 days postpartum. Others have found that spontaneous recovery can last until 40–50 days postpartum and prostaglandin given in 2-week intervals after 40 days until insemination is an effective treatment [12]. Endotoxins have a suppressive effect on the reproductive axis (causing prolonged anoestrus, a prolonged luteal phase and ovarian cysts), which predisposes cows to an increased chance of being culled due to poor reproductive performance [3], [6], [13], [14].

The aim of this study was to investigate the predisposing factors and effects of uterine infection on the performance of Holstein Friesian dairy cows.

Section snippets

Data

Data were obtained from the Langhill herd of Holstein Friesian cows, which are on a long-term genetic breeding and feeding systems project [15]. Cows are either of the genetic line selected for kilograms of fat plus protein (select line) or selected to remain close to the average genetic merit for fat plus protein production for all animals evaluated in the UK (control line). The herd was managed from 1990 to 2002 at the University of Edinburgh, and then from 2002 at the SAC Dairy Research

Results

During the study period from January 1990 to August 2005, there were 402 cases of uterine infection (from 321 different cows) in the Langhill herd, a level of 13.8% during the study period. Of the 402 cases, 242 would be classified as metritis and 160 as clinical endometritis. There was no effect of feeding or management system, and no significant difference between sites.

Discussion

Over 15 years the prevalence of uterine infections in the Langhill herd averaged 13.8%. Uterine infection was associated with an assisted calving, malpresented calves, twin births and retained placentas. Assistance was associated with male births, oversized calves or twin births, and an increased number of days to first service. As found in other studies [4], [7] and seen in this study, diagnosed cases of uterine infections and calving assistance occurred more in first-time calving cows. In

Conclusion and implications

Uterine infection soon after calving is associated with reduced feed intake, which is related to a reduced milk yield and lower milk protein composition. The results of this study suggest that better matching of sires to dams to reduce oversized calves, knowledge of the calf's sex and the scanning for twins, could help reduce the chance of an assisted calving and its influence as a predisposing factor for uterine infection. Furthermore, this could help reduce the number of involuntary cullings

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the farm staff at the University of Edinburgh and at the SAC Dairy Research Centre for recording the data used in this study and to Ross McGinn (database manager) for maintaining such a thorough database. Mizeck Chagunda, Colin Mason, Jill Offer, Marie Haskell and Lindsey Maggs gave invaluable advice.

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