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Effect of prostaglandin F₂ on subclinical endometritis and fertility in dairy cows

K. N. Galvão^*, M. Frajblat^*, S. B. Brittin^*, W. R. Butler, C. L. Guard and R. O. Gilbert^*,1

^* Department of Clinical Sciences,
Department of Animal Science, and
Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853

¹ Corresponding author: rob.gilbert{at}cornell.edu

The objectives were to determine the effects of PGF₂ treatment on the prevalence of subclinical endometritis (SCE) and fertility of dairy cows. A total of 406 Holstein cows (167 primiparous and 239 multiparous) from 5 herds were used. Uterine lavage for diagnosis of SCE, PGF₂ treatment, evaluation of body condition scores (BCS), and collection of blood samples for estrous cyclicity determination were performed at 21, 35, and 49 d in milk (DIM). Polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) were quantified and thresholds for diagnosing SCE were selected by receiver operating characteristics analysis. Cows classified as having SCE at 35 DIM (6.5% PMN) and 49 DIM (4.0% PMN) had increased time to pregnancy; however, cows classified as having SCE at 21 DIM (8.5% PMN) did not. Median days to pregnancy were delayed by 30 (151 vs. 121 d) and 40 (169 vs. 129) d for cows classified as having SCE at 35 and 49 DIM, respectively. Treatment with PGF₂ did not affect the prevalence of SCE either at 35 (37.9 vs. 38.4%) or at 49 DIM (34.0 vs. 40.4%). Treatment with PGF₂ did not affect time to first insemination (AI; median 76 DIM for cows treated with PGF₂; 79 DIM for control. Nonetheless, PGF₂ treatment increased pregnancy to first AI in all the cows (35.5 vs. 24.1%) and hazard ratio (HR) of pregnancy in cows with BCS 2.5 when all of the cows were evaluated (HR = 1.5; 95% confidence interval; CI = 1.1 to 2.0) and when only cows without SCE were evaluated (HR = 1.8; 95% CI = 1.2 to 2.7). Treatment with PGF₂ did not affect the hazard of pregnancy in cows with SCE at 49 DIM (HR = 0.9; 95% CI = 0.6 to 1.3). In these farms, treatment with PGF₂ did not affect SCE or time to first insemination, but did increase first-service pregnancy per AI and decreased time to pregnancy in cows with low BCS.

Key Words: subclinical endometritis • prostaglandin treatment • dairy cow