Postpartum Uterine Disease and Dairy Herd Reproductive Performance

(LeBlanc, 2008)

Clinical endometritis affects 15% to 20% of cows at 4 to 6 weeks postpartum.
An additional 30% to 35% of cows have subclinical endometritis between 4 and 9 weeks postpartum.
Under specific conditions, treatment of cows with endometritis improved pregnancy rate.
Systematic use of prostaglandin F2? at 5 to 7 weeks postpartum may improve pregnancy rate.
The economic benefit of efforts to identify and treat endometritis is herd-specific.

The Role of Prostaglandin F2α

In cyclic cows, PGF2α causes luteolysis of a responsive corpus luteum.
This results in decreased progesterone level and subsequent estrus, with increased estrogen level and myometrial contractions.
These events are all plausibly favorable for clearance of uterine infection.

Effect of Different Prostaglandins on Intrauterine Pressure and Uterine Motility During Diestrus in Experimental Cows

(Hirsbrunner et al, 1998)

Study Design

Healthy, cyclic, lactating Simmental x Red Holstein cows (n=8) were used for this study.
The study was initiated 8 to 13 days after the onset of a physiologic estrous cycle in each cow.
Using two 4x4 Latin-square patterns, all cows received each of four intramuscular treatments:
Dinoprost 25 mg, IM
DL-cloprostenol (ESTRUMATE) 0.5 mg, IM
D-cloprostenol 0.15 mg, IM
Placebo 5 mL, IM
After recording physiologic uterine motility for 30 minutes, different prostaglandins or a placebo were administered intramuscularly, followed by a two-hour recording period.
For each cow, treatments were performed once during the diestrus phase of each consecutive non-induced estrous cycle.
Each cow was allowed to have a non-induced estrus before the next treatment.

Conclusions

Dissimilar effects of the three prostaglandin preparations in our study on uterine motility may have occurred due to:
Different elimination half-lives of the drugs,
Individual densities of the receptors in the uterine wall,
Or different affinities of the drugs to the receptors.

For best results, use ESTRUMATE prostaglandin to treat Metritis and Endometritis, and for your Presynch protocol.

Mean of Area under the Curve for DL-cloprostenol, D-cloprostenol, Dinoprest and Placebo from the Control Period to T8

Use a more potent prostaglandin that promotes stronger and longer-lasting uterine contractions.

Mean Amplitude for DL-cloprostenol, D-cloprostenol, Dinoprest and Placebo from the Control Period to T8

Mean Baseline Intrauterine Pressure of Minute 12-15 of Each Interval for DL-cloprostenol, D-cloprostenol, Dinoprest and Placebo from the Control Period to T8

All graphs adapted from Hirsbrunner et al (1998).

REFERENCES

LeBlanc, SJ. Postpartum uterine disease and dairy herd reproductive performance: A review. The Veterinary Journal 176:102-114, 2008.

Hirsbrunner, SJ et al. Effect of different prostaglandins on intrauterine pressure and uterine motility during diestrus in experimental cows. Theriogenology 50:445-455, 1998.

∗At 50 to 100 times the recommended dose, mild side effects may be detected in some cattle; these include increased uneasiness, slight frothing, and milk let-down.