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