Livestock Studies 2009, Vol 49, Num, 2     (Pages: 077-089)

Evaluation of the Incidence of Subclinical Endometritis and Results of Intrauterine Treatment in Repeat Breeder Dairy Cows

Yasar ERGÜN 1 ,Erol ALAÇAM 2 ,Yılmaz AYDIN 3 ,Adnan SEYREK 4

1 Mustafa Kemal Üni. Veteriner Fak. Doğum Jinekoloji Anabilim Dalı, Tayfur Sökmen Kampüsü Antakya Hatay
2 Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Doğum Jinekoloji Anabilim Dalı, Dışkapı Ankara
3 Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Patoloji Anabilim Dalı, Dışkapı Ankara
4 Fırat Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Mikrobiyoloji Anabilim Dalı, Elazığ
- The aims of this study were to estimate the incidence of subclinical endometritis, effectiveness of biopsy and microbiological analysis for diagnosis and also determination of the effect of intrauterine antibiotic infusion at the 24th hour following insemination upon pregnancy rate in repeat breeder dairy cows. Fourthy eight Holstein-Friesian dairy cows, between 3-9 years of age, were selected into two groups. Twentyfour of these cows were repeated oestrus after 2nd insemination (Group 1) and the second group (Group 2) were composed with the animals repeating oestrus after 3rd insemination. None of the cows was inseminated in the detected oestrus. Two biopsy samples were taken from the 12±1 days following the last oestrus for histopathological evaluation and microbiological analysis. The cows were inseminated during the following oestruses and study groups were randomly divided into two subgroups, each having 12 animals. Antibiotic combination containing 500 mg Oksitetrasiklin + 500 mg Furazolidon + 500 mg Clioquinol + 500 μg Etinilostradiol were infused into the uterus at 24 hour post insemination in one of the subgroups while others left as controls. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed by rectal palpation, following 45th days after insemination. In histopathological examination 12 findings which are determinants of subclinical endometritis were evaluated into four degrees between (-) and (+++). In histopathological evaluation endometrial asynchrony and associated degenerative, hyperplastic, regressive changes were determined in endometrial biopsy samples. The incidence of these pathological events in the first and repeat breeder groups were 100 and 87.50%, respectively. There was no histopathological changes in 6.25% of the cows while 31.25% slight 58.33% moderate and 4.17% severe endometrial changes were observed in the other animals. The microbiological findings were not sufficient to determine the status of subclinical endometritis. The pregnancy rates of Group 1 for the treatment and controls subgroups were 75.00% and 58.30 %, while 75.00% and 41.70% in the second group, respectively. It was concluded that histopathological assessments are useful diagnostic tools for determining subclinical endometritis and degenerative, regressive, hyperplastic changes and associated endometrial asynchrony is a common finding in cows which returned twice or third times. It was suggested that intrauterine infusion at the 24th hour post insemination may be successful method for treatment of repeat breeder cows. Keywords : Repeat breeder cow, subclinical endometritis, diagnosis, intrauterine treatment, endometrial asynchrony