Oorsig / Review
Pathogenesis , prevention and
treatment of postpartum uterine disease
Robert O . Gilbert Professor of Theriogenology , Associate Dean , Academic Affairs , Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine , Basseterre , St . Kitts & Nevis , West Indies . From RuVASA Proceedings 2018
Introduction
Postpartum diseases are common in dairy cows , and their incidence contributes to reduced fertility and increased risk of culling , making their prevention and management extremely important . Reproductive efficiency has a major impact on economic success of any dairy production unit . Control of reproductive diseases is important for maintenance of health and welfare of dairy cows , for minimizing use of antibiotics and assuring a wholesome , safe and nutritious product . Here we will consider retained fetal membranes ( RFM ), puerperal metritis , pyometra , endometritis , cervicitis and purulent vaginal discharge as major postpartum uterine diseases .
Retained Fetal Membranes
Although bovine fetal membranes are normally expelled within 3 – 8 hours after delivery of the calf ( Wehrend et al ., 2005 ) retention of fetal membranes is usually defined as failure of expulsion by 24 hours . The incidence in dairy cows is about 5 – 15 % and is higher for older cows than for primipara ( Joosten et al ., 1987 , Grohn and Rajala-Schultz , 2000 ). Predisposing factors include abortion , stillbirth , multiple birth , dystocia , uterine torsion , heat stress , hydrops allantois , and periparturient hypocalcemia , low calf birthweight and premature parturition ( Joosten et al ., 1987 ) and induced calving . RFM is associated with many infectious conditions , including brucellosis , campylobacteriosis and aspergillosis . Nutritional causes such as overconditioning of dry cows and deficiencies of carotene , selenium and Vitamin E have been incriminated . Cattle that have RFM once may be at greater risk of the condition after subsequent parturition ( Joosten et al ., 1987 ) and cows with RFM have a higher incidence of metabolic diseases , mastitis , metritis , and even subsequent abortion ( Gröhn et al ., 1990 ).
Clinical signs of RFM are usually obvious unless the membranes are retained within the uterus or only project into the cervix or vagina and require a vaginal examination to be detected . Cows with RFM produce less milk in the affected lactation . This is especially true for affected first lactation cows ( Rajala and Grohn , 1998 ). Cows with RFM are at increased risk of developing metritis , endometritis , ovarian cysts ( Grohn and Rajala- Schultz , 2000 ) or mastitis ( Schukken , 1989 , Schukken et al ., 1989 ). Increased risk of mastitis reinforces the importance of impaired immune function in the pathogenesis of RFM . Cows with RFM tend to experience more days to first insemination , more days from first insemination to conception and more days open than cows without RFM ( Maizon et al ., 2004 ).
Manual removal of the retained membranes does no good and may do harm , particularly when future reproductive potential is used as
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