Risk factors for uterine diseases on small- and medium-sized dairy farms determined by clinical, bacteriological, and cytological examinations

The involution process of the postpartum bovine uterus is usually accompanied by invasion of various bacteria. The objectives of this study were to identify the relationship between the postpartum findings as risk factors for clinical endometritis (CE) and subclinical endometritis (SE). Furthermore, the effects of CE or SE on reproductive performance in small- and medium-sized dairy herds were investigated. A total of 400 cows were examined by vaginoscopy for CE at 20 to 30 days postpartum, and samples were collected for cytological examinations for SE and for bacteriology by cytobrush technique. The vaginoscopic and cytological examinations showed that 27.3% and 21.0% of the cows were found with CE and SE, respectively. The bacterial community analyses revealed a large variety of bacteria. Overall, bacteria from the order Actinomycetales, Lactobacillales, Bacillales, Burkholderiales, Caulobacteriales Enterobacteriales, Pasteurellales, and Pseudomonadales were detected, whereas in 39.5% of the samples no bacterial growth was detectable. The uterine pathogens Escherichia coli and Trueperella pyogenes were found in 16.8% and 13.0% of the samples cultivated under aerobic conditions. Other frequently isolated bacteria were Streptococcus spp. (31.3%), Staphylococcus spp. (20.0%), Corynebacterium spp. (16.5%), and Bacillus spp. (10.5%). The infection with T. pyogenes was the most important bacteriological risk factor for the occurrence of CE (odds ratio (OR) = 5.72; 95% CI = 3.07–10.83) and had a detrimental effect on the hazard of nonpregnancy by 200 days postpartum (hazard ratio = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.12–2.46). Calving assistance (OR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.16–2.98) and farm (OR = 1.11; 95% CI = 1.02–1.20) were indicated as further risk factors for CE and SE. Effects of CE and SE on reproductive performance parameters could not be demonstrated.