Search Results (68)

Postpartum metritis in dairy cows compromises reproductive performance and leads to substantial economic losses. This study investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying metritis by integrating high-throughput circulating microRNA (miRNA) profiling with systems-level bioinformatics. Previously, 30 differentially expressed miRNAs, 16 upregulated and 14 downregulated, were identified in metritis-affected cows compared to healthy controls. Building on these findings, this study predicted miRNA target genes and constructed regulatory networks involving miRNAs, mRNAs, circRNAs, lncRNAs, and snRNAs, alongside protein–protein interaction networks. Functional annotation and KEGG pathway analysis revealed that upregulated miRNAs influenced genes involved in immune activation, apoptosis, and metabolism, while downregulated miRNAs were associated with angiogenesis, immune suppression, and tissue repair. Hub genes such as AKT3, VEGFA, and HIF1A were central to immune and angiogenic signaling, whereas UBE3A and ZEB1 were linked to immune inhibition. Interferon-stimulated genes (e.g., ISG15, RSAD2, CXCL chemokines) were shown to regulate solute carriers, contributing to immune dysregulation. Key pathways included PI3K-Akt, NF-κB, JAK-STAT, insulin resistance, and T cell receptor signaling. Noncoding RNAs such as NEAT1, KCNQ1OT1, and XIST, along with miRNAs like bta-miR-15b and bta-miR-148a, emerged as pro-inflammatory regulators, while bta-miR-199a-3p appeared to exert immunosuppressive effects. These findings offer new insights into the complex regulatory networks driving metritis and suggest potential targets for improving fertility in dairy cows. Full article

The uterine microbiota plays a crucial role in maintaining postpartum reproductive health in dairy cows, and its dysregulation is closely associated with uterine diseases. Vaginal discharge characteristics serve as important clinical indicators for assessing uterine status and guiding clinical decision-making. This study employed 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyze uterine microbial diversity in cows with different discharge types. Results revealed significant microbial shifts associated with discharge severity. Notably, Caviibacter was highly enriched (up to 60.25%) in cows with mildly purulent discharge (<50%), suggesting its potential role in early-stage endometritis. In contrast, Fusobacterium and Helcococcus dominated when purulent discharge exceeded 50%, while Bacteroides, Porphyromonas, and Peptostreptococcus prevailed in cows with malodorous or discolored secretions, indicating severe inflammation. This study extends previous findings by uncovering stage-specific microbial transitions and proposing Caviibacter as a potential early biomarker of endometritis. These insights support early diagnosis and targeted interventions, contributing to improved reproductive management and sustainable dairy farming. Full article

Metritis is one of the most common postpartum diseases in dairy cows, associated with impaired reproductive performance and substantial economic losses. In this study, we investigated the potential of machine learning (ML) techniques applied to physiological, behavioural, and milk quality parameters for the early detection of metritis in dairy cows during the postpartum period. A total of 2707 daily observations were collected from 94 cows in early lactation, of which 11 cows (275 records) were diagnosed with metritis. The dataset included daily measurements of body weight, rumination time, milk yield, milk composition (fat, protein, lactose), somatic cell count (SCC), and feed intake. Five classification models—partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), neural network (NN), and an Ensemble model—were developed using standardised features and stratified 80/20 training/test splits. To address class imbalance, model loss functions were adjusted using class weights. Models were evaluated based on accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV), area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC), and Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC). The NN model demonstrated the highest overall performance (accuracy = 96.1%, AUC = 96.3%, MCC = 0.79), indicating strong capability in distinguishing both healthy and diseased animals. The SVM achieved the highest sensitivity (90.9%), while RF and Ensemble models showed high specificity (>98%) and PPV. This study provides novel evidence that ML methods can effectively detect metritis using routinely collected, non-invasive on-farm data. Our findings support the integration of neural and Ensemble learning models into automated health monitoring systems to enable earlier disease detection and improved animal welfare. Although external validation was not performed, internal cross-validation demonstrated consistent performance across models, suggesting suitability for application in multi-farm settings. To the best of our knowledge, this is among the first studies to apply ML for early metritis detection based exclusively only automated herd data. Full article

Effective health management during the transition period depends on early disease detection, which can be achieved through continuous monitoring using precision livestock farming tools. This study assessed reticulorumen temperature, rumination time, and activity in dairy cows during the periparturient period under summer heat stress. We hypothesized differences in these parameters between healthy (HE) cows and those developing postpartum disorders (DI). Forty clinically healthy, multiparous cows were monitored from 5 days prepartum to 14 days after calving (days in milk; DIM). A cow was considered healthy and allocated to the HE group (n = 26) if she was not affected by any postpartum health disorders until the end of the study period. A cow was considered diseased and allocated to the DI group (n = 14) if she had been diagnosed with mastitis, metritis, lameness, or ketosis. Weather loggers recorded barn microclimate data, while rumination, activity, and rumen temperature were tracked using a microphone-based sensor in the neck collar (Ruminact HR) and rumen bolus (Smaxtec). THI values remained above 68 throughout the study, peaking at 80, indicating sustained heat stress. Rumen temperature ranged between 39 and 41 °C and moderately correlated with THI (correlation coefficient was 0.27; 95% CI: 0.20; 0.33; p < 0.0001). Both groups exhibited a nadir in rumen temperature at calving, with no differences. Rumination time declined prepartum, reaching its lowest at 2 DIM in DI cows. It was significantly affected by days around calving, postpartum disorders, and THI. Activity increased prepartum and normalized by 4 DIM in HE cows, while DI cows showed higher activity at 4 DIM, stabilizing by 5–7 DIM. These findings underscore the value of precision monitoring tools for early disease detection and intervention. Full article

Serum beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) are biomarkers of situations of negative energetic balance in bovine. However, knowledge about their possible measurement and use in saliva is limited. In this report, two commercially available methods for the measurement of BHB and NEFAs were validated for use in bovine saliva. Both methods showed good precision and accuracy. The BHB concentrations were correlated between the saliva and the serum, but not the NEFA concentrations. The cows with hyperketonemia (n = 17) had increased salivary BHB compared to the cows with no clinical signs and no hyperketonemia (n = 34) and those with clinical signs of metritis (n = 17). The salivary NEFA concentration increased in newborn calves (n = 10) on days 1 and 2 of life compared to the day of birth before colostrum intake. The calves with symptomatic bovine respiratory disease complex (BRD, n = 7) showed higher salivary NEFA concentrations than those without clinical symptoms (n = 6). Thus, BHB and NEFAs can be reliably measured in bovine saliva using easily automatable colorimetric methods. Salivary BHB increased in hyperketonemia and could be a potential biomarker of this condition. Further studies should be undertaken to clarify the mechanism and possible use of salivary NEFAs as biomarkers. Full article

Background: Metritis, a common postpartum uterine infection in bovines, poses substantial challenges in livestock management, including compromised fertility and economic losses. Poor uterine drug penetration and systemic side effects, necessitating innovative localised delivery systems and limiting current systemic antibiotic treatments. Aim: This study aimed to develop and evaluate the potential effect of the ofloxacin-loaded hydrogel as a localised drug delivery system to treat metritis in bovine. The focus was on achieving sustained drug release, enhanced antibacterial efficacy and reduced inflammation in the endometrium. Materials and Methods: The CS/PVA hydrogel was synthesised using a freeze–thaw method and further optimised for drug encapsulation efficiency (96.7 ± 2.1%), stability and biocompatibility. Physicochemical characterisation included swelling behaviour, mechanical properties and rheological analysis. In vitro drug release profiles in the simulated uterine fluid were assessed over 72 h and antibacterial activity was tested against common uterine pathogens such as Escherichia coli and S. aureus. In vivo studies were conducted on bovines diagnosed with endometritis to evaluate clinical recovery. Results: The SEM image of the ofloxacin-loaded CS/PVA hydrogel resulted in a smooth and porous structure demonstrating larger pore size than the blank. The rheological study suggested higher stability and elastic behaviour. Antibacterial assays on E. coli and S. aureus revealed significant inhibition zones, respectively, indicating potent efficacy. In vivo, evaluated on treated bovine, reduced bacterial loads were exhibited (2.86 × 10^5A CFU/mL → 6.37 × 10^2B CFU/mL), clinical improvement was marked and uterine inflammation was resolved. Conclusions: Ofloxacin-loaded hydrogels represent a promising localised treatment for bovine metritis, offering sustained antibacterial action and improved clinical outcomes. This approach addresses the limitations of systemic antibiotic therapies and provides a practical solution for enhanced veterinary care. Further studies are recommended to validate these findings in more extensive field trials and explore commercialisation potential. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the association between colostrum quality, as indicative of the immune status of the cows, and peripartum disease risk occurrence in a herd of grazing dairy cows. A prospective cohort study was conducted on a grazing dairy farm with 3000 Holstein milking cows from 15 March 2022 to 15 March 2023. Multivariable binary logistic models evaluated the association between colostrum quality (expressed in Brix grades as a continuous predictor) and the risk of peripartum diseases (including dystocia, stillbirth, retention of fetal membranes, metritis, and clinical endometritis). We found that colostrum quality was negatively associated with the risk of dystocia (p = 0.02), stillbirth (p < 0.01), clinical endometritis (p = 0.02), and total peripartum diseases (p < 0.01). Conversely, colostrum quality was not related to the risk of retention of the placenta (p = 0.25) or metritis (p = 0.76). Additionally, we found that the calving season affected colostrum quality (p < 0.01). Conversely, parity number, dry period length, and milk yield in previous lactation did not affect it (p > 0.10). We concluded that colostrum quality, expressed in Brix grades, is negatively associated with peripartum disease risk in dairy cows and could be a useful indicator of the immune status of the cow. Full article

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prophylactic effect of thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) on the vitality scores of piglets based on their behavior and survival. A total of 149 piglets born from 15 multiparous sows were evaluated. The sows were randomly divided into two groups, control and TPP, with treatments administered 24 and 12 h before the expected farrowing date. The duration of farrowing was recorded. Furthermore, for all newborns, the Apgar vitality scale, teat suckling, newborn weight and weight at weaning, piglet vitality based on behavior (at birth and at 24 h), and skin temperature (at birth and at 24 h) were evaluated. The results indicated that the sows treated with TPP presented a lower farrowing duration (p = 0.0060) and their piglets exhibited a higher percentage in the piglet vitality-based behavior score (>50%). In addition, the newborn piglets of TPP-treated sows, which exhibited higher scores in behavior parameters, also displayed higher scores (>80%) in the Apgar vitality scale (>8), suckled on the teat for longer periods of time, and had higher daily weight gain (p < 0.0001). Our findings suggest that administering TPP at the end of gestation may shorten labor while also increasing the vitality of newborns. Therefore, it could be considered that, in practice, the administration of this treatment could have an impact on the energy that sows need during the farrowing process for the initiation of uterine contractions and abdominal effort. Therefore, this treatment could have an impact on the productivity and well-being of sows with a history of dystocic farrowing, which can increase the incidence of endometritis, vulvar discharge, placental retention, or mastitis–metritis–agalactia syndrome—alterations that can result in the reduced growth of piglets and a higher mortality before weaning. Therefore, the application of this treatment could not only reduce the probability of sows presenting these problems but perhaps also increase the probability of their offspring surviving in the first days after birth. Full article

Trueperella pyogenes is a widely distributed opportunistic pathogenic bacterium that can infect livestock, wildlife, community animals, and humans, resulting in suppurative infection of tissue and organ mucosa, including pneumonia, liver abscessation, mastitis, metritis, endocarditis, and osteoarthritis. TP1804 and TP1808 were isolated from the uterine lavage fluid of cows with endometritis. This study analyzed the prokaryotic transcriptomics and proteomics of two strains of T. pyogenes with similar growth curves but different cytotoxicity. Studying the metabolic mechanisms of these differentially expressed genes and proteins can greatly promote the discovery of new biomarkers and improve the accuracy of biomarker identification, which is of great value for molecular mechanisms, biomarkers, early diagnosis of diseases, molecular typing, and prognosis. Our results indicate that the control of the virulence by tRNAs to bacteria during ribosome biosynthesis is crucial. Full article

This study examined the prevalence and risk factors of repeat breeder syndrome (RB) in 2370 dairy cows in northern Spain. Data collected included the prevalence of postpartum pathologies, metabolic markers, and productive and reproductive parameters. The overall RB prevalence was 21.1%. In primiparous cows, the postpartum body condition loss (Odds Ratio (OR): 2.9–8.1, depending on severity), ketosis (OR: 3.5), lameness (OR: 3.4), clinical mastitis (OR: 4.2), dystocia (OR: 5.2), and endometritis (OR: 12.2) significantly increased the RB risk. Summer (OR: 0.4) or autumn (OR: 0.6) calvings reduced this likelihood compared to winter or spring calvings. In multiparous cows, risk factors included body condition loss (OR: 2.0), ketosis (OR: 4.3), lameness (OR: 2.5), clinical mastitis (OR: 4.2), dystocia (OR: 1.9), endometritis (OR: 6.2), metritis (OR: 1.38), and subclinical mastitis (OR: 1.9). A longer interval between calving and first postpartum insemination reduced the RB risk (OR: 0.99). Overall, metabolic and reproductive disorders were significant risk factors for RB across both cow groups, while seasonal calving and delayed insemination mitigated risk in primiparous and multiparous cows, respectively. Full article

Meloxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory in the oxicam group. It has been extensively used in human and veterinary medicine for their anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities. Meloxicam has shown high therapeutic potential for disorders such as osteoarthritis, musculoskeletal disorder, acute respiratory infection, puerperal septicemia, mastitis and mastitis–metritis–agalactia syndrome. Although meloxicam pharmacokinetic has been described for numerous species, no paper summarizes the existing literature on this field. Thus, the aim of this review was to carry out a review of the literature on the pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in different animal species and gather the data in a single review article. A comprehensive review of the available literature in the PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases was performed. Meloxicam shows good bioavailability after oral and parenteral administration in most animal species (85–95%), with the lowest values in sheep after oral administration. It presents a rapid distribution with a small volume of distribution, which can be attributed to relatively high ionization state of meloxicam at physiological pH and its high plasma protein binding (close to 99%). It is extensively metabolized in the liver in several inactive polar metabolites, which are excreted, like unchanged meloxicam in urine and feces. Meloxicam also shows a long elimination half-life and low clearance. Full article

A suboptimal intrauterine environment during gestation may result in the programming of long-lasting structural and physiological alterations in the developing fetus, leading to health and production complications in adulthood. This observational study aimed to identify the impact of exposure to the summer season at different trimesters of gestation, dam parity, and their interaction on the postpartum disease incidence, first-lactation milk production, and herd lifespan of the offspring (F₁ generation). Using a dataset collected from two commercial herds, the female offspring were categorized into three groups based on the trimester their dams experienced summer season during pregnancy: (1) first trimester (n = 2345), (2) second trimester (n = 3513), and (3) final trimester (n = 4988). The estimated 305-day milk production was lower in daughters (as a first-lactation cow) born to dams exposed to summer season during the first vs. third trimester. Summer season exposure during the first vs. third trimester resulted in the offspring that were less likely to remain in the herd (hazard ratio = 0.90; 95% CI = 0.84–0.95). Daughters of parous vs. nulliparous dams were more likely to experience dystocia and metritis but less likely to experience retained placenta. The risk of culling was higher in daughters of parous vs. nulliparous dams. Our preliminary findings suggest that the first trimester is a critical determinant of the female progeny’s future productive performance and survivability. Dam parity was also identified as an influential factor affecting offspring health, as dystocia and metritis were more prevalent, and the culling risk was greater in daughters born to parous dams. Full article

Metritis affects 5–20% of cows after parturition, negatively impacting animal welfare and the profitability of dairy farms, increasing culling rates and costs, and decreasing productivity and reproduction rates. This study compared the results of a comprehensive biochemical panel consisting of 25 salivary and 31 serum analytes between healthy cows (n = 16) and cows with metritis (n = 12). Descriptive parameters such as depression, rectal temperature, body condition score (BCS), heart rate, respiratory rate, mucous color, ruminal motility, vaginal discharge, milk production, and complete hematology analyses were also assessed for comparative purposes. The biochemistry analytes comprised five analytes related to stress, five to inflammation, five to oxidative status, and nineteen to general metabolism. The two-way ANOVA analysis revealed that, in saliva, eight biomarkers (lipase, adenosine deaminase (ADA), haptoglobin (Hp), total proteins, g-glutamyl transferase (gGT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and creatine kinase (CK)) were significant higher in cows with metritis. In serum, eight biomarkers (ADA, Hp, serum amyloid A (SAA), fibrinogen, ferritin, AOPPs/albumin ratio, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), and bilirubin) were significantly higher in cows with metritis, whereas six (total esterase (TEA), albumin, urea, lactate, phosphorus, and calcium) were lower. Of the total number of 23 biomarkers that were measured in both saliva and serum, significant positive correlations between the two biofluids were found for six of them (Hp, FRAP, CUPRAC, AOPPs, urea, and phosphorus). Urea showed an R = 0.7, and the correlations of the other analytes were weak (R < 0.4). In conclusion, cows with metritis exhibited differences in biomarkers of stress, inflammation, cellular immune system, and general metabolism in both salivary and serum biochemistry profiles. These changes were of different magnitudes in the two biofluids. In addition, with the exception of ADA and Hp, the analytes that showed changes in the saliva and serum profiles of cows affected by metritis were different. Overall, this report opens a new window for the use of saliva as potential source of biomarkers in cows with metritis. Full article

This descriptive cross-sectional study compared the microbiota of the uterus, vagina, clitoral fossa (CF), and perineal skin in healthy maiden mares during estrus. Twelve synchronized, healthy maiden mares (3–4 years old) from one single recipient mare herd were included. Microbial communities were characterized by amplifying the V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene using the Illumina MiSeq platform. The uterine and vaginal microbiota had significantly lower richness (Chao-1) than the skin (p < 0.05). The uterine and vagina bacterial composition was similar in presence and abundance and could be differentiated from that of the CF and perineal skin. The microbial composition (Jaccard and Bray–Curtis distances) significantly differed across body-site locations (p < 0.05), which explained approximately 14% and 19% of the variation in microbial composition for Jaccard and Bray–Curtis distances, respectively. Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the dominant taxa in the uterus and vagina, with higher proportions of Proteobacteria in the vaginal samples compared to the uterine samples. Streptococcaceae and Staphylococcaceae were present in high abundance in the uterine and vaginal samples, while Lactobacillaceae were not (<10%). We demonstrate that the uterine and vaginal microbiota of healthy maiden mares during estrus is similar but both distinct from that of the CF and perineal skin. Full article

Pasteurellosis, a disease caused by Pasteurella multocida, is responsible for economic losses in rabbit industrial farms due to rhinitis, conjunctivitis, pneumonia, metritis, mastitis, orchitis, subcutaneous abscesses, otitis, encephalitis, and septicaemic forms. Although the occurrence of the disease is conditioned by predisposing factors that affect the rabbit immune response, the strains of P. multocida involved in the infection may have a different pathogenic ability. Therefore, typing of strains spread among the rabbits is important to assess their pathogenic potential. The aim of this study is to investigate the P. multocida strains responsible for disease in rabbit industrial farms. A total of 114 strains identified from different lesions were serotyped. Additionally, the presence of virulence-associated genes was investigated using three PCR (polymerase chain reaction) protocols. Capsular type A was prevalently found in strains from respiratory lesions while types D and F in those from metritis, mastitis, and other lesions. Different associations between some virulence-associated genes and both capsular type and lesions found in rabbits were detected. The presence of 8 virulence-associated genes seems to increase the occurrence of metritis. In addition, strains belonging to capsular type A and responsible for respiratory disorders especially, were found equipped with 10 and 11 virulence-associated genes. Nevertheless, the presence of strains responsible only for rhinitis was also detected among the latter, suggesting that the pathogenic ability of the bacteria depends on the expression rather than the presence of a gene. Full article