Treatment of dairy cows with PGF2α or NSAID, in combination with antibiotics, in cases of postpartum uterine inflammation.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to test the effect of two treatments in cases of acute puerperal metritis (APM) and clinical metritis (CM). METHODS: Cows with APM and CM (n = 40)) were matched according to plasma fibrinogen levels (Fb) into three groups. Two negative control groups D (n = 11) and E (n = 17) were composed of healthy cows. The proportion of animals with APM and CM was similar within the groups. Treatment was started on the 3rd day postpartum (PP). In group A (n = 15), intramuscular (i.m.) administration of ceftiofur was used for five days in combination with flunixin for three days. Group B (n = 15) received i.m. administration of ceftiofur for five days followed by two injections of prostaglandin F2α, with an interval of 8 h, on the 8th day PP. Group C (n = 10) served as a control group with no treatment. The general health status, body temperature (BT) and vaginal discharge were evaluated daily. Endometrial biopsies for bacteriology were taken once a week for seven weeks PP. Blood samples for the analysis of acute phase proteins were collected once a week for six weeks PP. Samples for progesterone analysis were taken twice a week for seven weeks PP. Fertility performance data were recorded. RESULTS: The area under the curve of BT was higher in group B than in group D cows (P < 0.05). No differences were found for vaginal discharge. There were no differences in bacterial growth, start of ovarian activity or serum amyloid-A or fibrinogen levels among the groups. The haptoglobin concentration was higher in the first and second weeks PP in group B compared with the other groups (P < 0.05). The number of days open was higher in group A than in both groups B and D (P < 0.05). The pregnancy rate after the first two services was higher (P < 0.05) in groups B and D than in groups A and C. The number of services per pregnancy was lower in group B than in group C (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of more severe uterine inflammation found in animals from group B, these cows showed the same fertility parameters as healthy animals.

Udder pathogens and their resistance to antimicrobial agents in dairy cows in Estonia.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to estimate the distribution of udder pathogens and their antibiotic resistance in Estonia during the years 2007-2009. METHODS: The bacteriological findings reported in this study originate from quarter milk samples collected from cows on Estonian dairy farms that had clinical or subclinical mastitis. The samples were submitted by local veterinarians to the Estonian Veterinary and Food Laboratory during 2007-2009. Milk samples were examined by conventional bacteriology. In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed with the disc diffusion test. Logistic regression with a random herd effect to control for clustering was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: During the study period, 3058 clinical mastitis samples from 190 farms and 5146 subclinical mastitis samples from 274 farms were investigated. Positive results were found in 57% of the samples (4680 out of 8204), and the proportion did not differ according to year (p > 0.05). The proportion of bacteriologically negative samples was 22.3% and that of mixed growth was 20.6%. Streptococcus uberis (Str. uberis) was the bacterium isolated most frequently (18.4%) from cases of clinical mastitis, followed by Escherichia coli (E. coli) (15.9%) and Streptococcus agalactiae (Str. agalactiae) (11.9%). The bacteria that caused subclinical mastitis were mainly Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (20%) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) (15.4%). The probability of isolating S. aureus from milk samples was significantly higher on farms that had fewer than 30 cows, when compared with farms that had more than 100 cows (p < 0.005). A significantly higher risk of Str. agalactiae infection was found on farms with more than 600 cows (p = 0.034) compared with smaller farms. The proportion of S. aureus and CNS isolates that were resistant to penicillin was 61.4% and 38.5%, respectively. Among the E. coli isolates, ampicillin, streptomycin and tetracycline resistance were observed in 24.3%, 15.6% and 13.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the main pathogens associated with clinical mastitis were Str. uberis and E. coli. Subclinical mastitis was caused mainly by S. aureus and CNS. The number of S. aureus and Str. agalactiae isolates depended on herd size. Antimicrobial resistance was highly prevalent, especially penicillin resistance in S. aureus and CNS.

Bacteriological and cytological findings during the late puerperal period after two different treatments of retained placenta followed by acute puerperal metritis.

The aim of the study was to compare the effect of two acute puerperal metritis (APM) treatment protocols on uterine condition during the late puerperal period (5th to 7th week). Late gestation healthy cows (n = 21) were divided randomly in three equal groups. Parturitions were induced. Treatments of APM were started on the third day postpartum (PP). Group A was treated with an oxytocin analogue carbetocin for three days and intrauterine administration of cephapirin between days 15 and 17. Group B was given intramuscular injection of ceftiofur for five days followed by two injections of prostaglandin F2alpha, at an interval of 12 h, on the eighth day PP. Group C served as the control group with no treatment. Body temperature was recorded daily for 14 days PP. Uterine biopsies for bacteriology, and uterobrush samples for cytology, were taken once a week from the 5th to 7th week postpartum. No differences were found in body temperature on day 14 PP, presence of bacteriological infections and disappearance of uterine inflammatory signs diagnosed by cytological examination between experimental groups.

Effect of yeast culture on milk production and metabolic and reproductive performance of early lactation dairy cows.

BACKGROUND: The main objective of this study was to estimate the effect of supplementation with Saccaromyces cerevisiae (SC) (Yea-Sacc 1026) on milk production, metabolic parameters and the resumption of ovarian activity in early lactation dairy cows. METHODS: The experiment was conducted during 2005/2006 in a commercial tied-house farm with an average of 200 milking Estonian Holstein Friesian cows. The late pregnant multiparous cows (n = 46) were randomly divided into two groups; one group received 10 g yeast culture from two weeks before to 14 weeks after calving. The groups were fed a total mixed ration with silages and concentrates. Milk recording data and blood samples for plasma metabolites were taken. Resumption of luteal activity was determined using milk progesterone (P4) measurements. Uterine bacteriology and ovarian ultrasonography (US) were performed and body condition scores (BCS) and clinical disease occurrences were recorded. For analysis, the statistical software Stata 9.2 and R were used to compute Cox proportional hazard and linear mixed models. RESULTS: The average milk production per cow did not differ between the groups (32.7 +/- 6.4 vs 30.7 +/- 5.3 kg/day in the SC and control groups respectively), but the production of milk fat (P < 0.001) and milk protein (P < 0.001) were higher in the SC group. There was no effect of treatment on BCS. The analysis of energy-related metabolites in early lactation showed no significant differences between the groups. In both groups higher levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) appeared from days 14 to 28 after parturition and the concentration of non-esterfied fatty acid (NEFA) was higher from days 1-7 post partum (PP). According to US and P4 results, all cows in both groups ovulated during the experimental period. The resumption of ovarian activity (first ovulations) and time required for elimination of bacteria from the uterus did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSION: Supplementation with SC had an effect on milk protein and fat production, but did not influence the milk yield. No effects on PP metabolic status, bacterial elimination from the uterus nor the resumption of ovarian activity were found.

Occurrence of clinical mastitis in primiparous Estonian dairy cows in different housing conditions.

BACKGROUND: Objectives of the study were to document the impact of some management factors on the occurrence of clinical mastitis in primiparous dairy cows and to identify common udder pathogens of clinical mastitis in freshly calved heifers and multiparous cows on the day of calving. METHODS: A one-year study was conducted during 2004 and 2005 in 11 selected Estonian dairy herds. Data consisted of 68 heifers with clinical mastitis and 995 heifers without clinical mastitis on the day of calving. Multivariable logistic regression with a random herd effect was used to investigate any association between housing system or the time interval from movement of heifers to the calving facility and day of calving on occurrence of clinical mastitis. Milk samples for bacteriological analysis were collected from affected heifers and multiparous cows on the day of calving RESULTS: Clinical mastitis occurrence in the study population of freshly calved heifers equalled 6.1 %. Housing system was not a significant risk factor for clinical mastitis of freshly calved heifers. Moving heifers to the cowbarn less than two weeks before calving in tiestall farms increased risk (OR = 5.9 p = 0.001) for clinical mastitis at parturition. The most frequently isolated udder pathogens among heifers were Escherichia coli (22.1%), Streptococcus uberis (19.1%) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (8.8%). In comparison, the main pathogen in multiparous cows with clinical mastitis at parturition was Staphylococcus aureus (11.2%). CONCLUSION: Moving heifers to the calving facilities too late in tiestall farms increased risk for clinical mastitis at parturition. The isolated udder pathogens did not differ significantly in tiestall farms compared to freestall farms in heifers, but differences were found between heifers and multiparous cows at parturition.