The Histopathological Survey of Uterine Tissue in Holstein Dairy Cows with or without Recorded Reproductive Disorders

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

• Massoud Talebkhan Garoussi ¹
• Farhang Sasani ²
• Parviz Hovareshti ²

¹ Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

² University of Tehran

10.22067/veterinary.v2i2.8374

Abstract

The objective of the study was to evaluate the uterine histopathological changes in Holstein dairy cows, within the range of 90-145 day in milk, with or without clinical history of reproduction system disorders. Lactating Holstein cows (n =133) with (n=92, 69.17%) or without (n= 41, 30.82%) recorded clinical signs of reproduction diseases were examined for uterine histopathological lesions. The cows in treatment group were inseminated artificially for 3 times after calving or did not have any recorded estrus signs. The cows in control group were not inseminated. Biopsy of the endometrium and submucosa were obtained using a sterile alligator-jawed (rounded) biopsy forceps. The inseminated cows were at various stages of the estrus cycle. The results showed that 64.13% and 46.34% of cows with or without recorded clinical reproductive disorder had histopathological lesions, respectively. There were no significant differences in histopathological changes between cows with or without reproductive disorder history (P≥0.05). Chronic endometritis was the most common microscopic lesion in cows with (34.61%) or without (17.94%) recorded reproductive disease. Clinical endometritis was the most common reproductive disorder (20.65%). The rate of histopathological lesions in repeat breeder cows was16.3%.
In conclusion, endometrial biopsy could be a useful diagnostic tool to evaluate future fertility of the dairy cows because, cows with or without reproductive disorders may show histopathological lesions.

Keywords

• Dairy cow
• endometritis
• histopathology
• reproductive disorders
• uterus

20.1001.1.2008465.2010.2.2.5.3

Main Subjects

• Pathology
• Reproductive

---

References

Bondurant, R. H. (1999) Inflammation in the bovine female reproductive tract. Journal of Dairy Science 82 (Suppl. 2), 101-110.

Bonnett, B. N., Martin, S. W. and Meek, A. H.(1993) Associations of clinical findings,bacteriological and histological results of

endometrial biopsy with reproductive performance of postpartum dairy cows.Preventive Veterinary Medicine 15, 205–220.

Brenda, N., Bonnett, R. B., Miller, W. G.,Etherington, S., Wayne, M. and Walter,HJ. (1991) Endometrial biopsy in Holstein-

Friesian dairy cows I. technique, histological criteria and results. Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research 55, 155-161.

Dohmen, M. J. W, Lohuis, JACM.,Huszwnicza, G., Nagy, P., and Gacs, C.(1995) The relationship between bacteriological and clinical findings in cows with subacute/chronic endometritis.

Theriogenology 43, 1379-1388.

Etherington, WG., Martin, SW., Bonnett, BN.,Jonhson, WH., Miller, RB., Savage, NC.,Walton, JS., and Montgomery, ME. (1988) Reproductive performance of dairy cows following treatment with cloprostenol 26 and/or 40 days postpartum: A field trial.Theriogenology 29, 565- 575.

Ferguson, JD. and Galligan, DT. (1999) Asseseement of reproductive efficiency in dairy herds. Compendium on Continuing

Education for the Practicing Veterinarian 22, S150-S158.

Frazer, GS. (2005) Bovine Theriogenology,Veterinary Clinics of North America, Food Animal Practice 21, 441-442.

Gilbert, RO. (2004) Uterine disease in the postpartum period. In: Proceedings of the 15th International Congress on animal

reproduction. Porto Seguo, Brazil, 66–73.

Gilbert, RO. (1992) Bovine endometritis: the burden of proof, Cornell Veterinary Medicine 82, 11.

Gilbert, RO., Shin ST., Guard CL, Erb, HN.,and Frajblat, M. (2005) Prevalence of endometritis and its effects on reproductive performance of dairy cows.Theriogenology 64, 1879-1888.

Gilbert, RO., Yang, X., Jiang, S., Schlafer,DHV., Saluste, V. and Scheytt, A. (1995) Effects of aseptic inflammation on development of bovine embryos in vivo and in vitro. In: roceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Society for heriogenology.San Antonio, Texas, USA, 312.

Hansen, PJ., Soto, P. and Natzke, RP. (2004) Mastitis and fertility in cattle, possible involvement of inflammation or immune

activation in embryonic mortality,American Journal of Reproductive Immunology 51, 294–301.

Hussain, AM. (1989) Bovine uterine defense mechanisems: a review. Journal of Veterinary Medicine, Ser B 36, 641–651.

Karsch,FJ.,Battaglia, DF., Breen, KM., Debus,N. and Harris, TG. (2002) Mechanisms for ovarian cycle disruption by

immune/inflammatory, Stress, 5, 101–112.

LeBlanc, SJ., Duffield, TF., Leslie, KE.,Bateman, KG., Keefe, GP., Walton, JS.and Johnson, WH. (2002) Defining and diagnosing postpartum clinical endometritis and its impact on reproductive performance in dairy cows, Journal of Dairy Science 85, 2223-2236.

Lee, LA., Ferguson, JD. and Galigan, DT.(1989) Effect of disease on days open assessed by survival analysis, Journal of Dairy Science 72, 1020-1026.

Lewis, GS. (1997) Symposium: health problems of the postpartum cow, uterine health and disorders. Journal of Dairy Science 80, 984-994.

Paisley, LG., Mickelsen, WD. and Anderson,PB. (1986) Mechanisms and therapy for retained fetal membranes and uterine infections of cows: a review, Theriogenology 25, 353-381.

Plazier, JCB., King, GJ., Dekkers, JCM. and Lissemore, K. (1997) Estimation of economic values of indices for reproductive performance in dairy herds using computer simulation, Journal of

Dairy Science 80, 2775-2783.

Radostitis, OM., Leslie, KE. and Fetrow, J.(1994) Herd health –food animal production medicine, 2nd edn., W. B.Saunders Co., Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Sheldon, M., Lewis, GS., Leblanc, S. and Gilbert, RO. (2006) Defining postpartum uterine disease in cattle, Theriogenology

65, 1516-1530.

Sheldon, IM. and Dobson, H. (2004) Postpartum uterine health in cattle. Animal Reproductive Science 82-83, 295-306.

Skjerven, O. (1956) Discussion on biopsy techniques and histological structure of the uterus, Acta Endocrinology [suppl] 26, 1-9.

Williams, EJ., Fisher, DP., England, GCW.,Dobson H, Pfeiffer, DU. and Sheldon, IM.(2005) Clinical evaluation of postpartum

vaginal mucus reflects uterine bacterial infection and the inflammatory response to endometritis in cattle. Theriogenology 63,102-117.

Youngquist, RS. and Threlfall, WR. (2007) Current Therapy in Large Animal Theriogenology, Saunders, Elsvier, USA.