Endometritis in Dairy Cattle
Endometritis is a subclinical (no obvious signs) infection of the uterine lining that is common and costly in New Zealand dairy herds. It is often a result of contamination during calving, such as a dead calf, assisted calving, or retained fetal membranes, though in many cases, there is no apparent cause.
Because endometritis is a subclinical disease, diagnosing endometritis requires a specialised tool like a Metricheck™ device. This device is used to collect a sample of uterine discharge to check for pus. While waiting longer after calving may result in fewer visible signs of pus, it does not mean the cow is free of the infection. In fact, early detection and treatment are crucial.
A Metricheck™ device is a rubber diaphragm (similar to a small tennis ball cut in half) on the end of a stainless steel rod, which is inserted into the cow’s vagina and used to collect a sample of discharge from the uterus. If pus is detected using this procedure, a cow is deemed to be ‘dirty’.
Cows with endometritis on average get in calf about two weeks later than healthy herd mates and are more likely to be culled as empty. Most herds have 10-20% of cows affected, and the costs associated with diagnosis, treatment, and lost production make it one of the most significant diseases in the dairy industry.
Assessing and treating the whole herd early (typically between 7 and 21 days after calving) provides the best return on investment and the greatest improvement in reproductive performance. Waiting longer to treat can lead to fewer cows showing pus, but cows who are affected but do not have visible pus will still have poorer reproductive outcomes. By treating all affected cows early, you can improve overall herd fertility and financial returns.
Following a Metricheck™ diagnosis, endometritis is typically treated with an antibiotic recommended by your vet. These antibiotics are inserted into the uterus using a pipette/catheter. Virbac New Zealand offers an intrauterine antibiotic treatment for endometritis, developed and trialled specifically for New Zealand conditions. For more information, please consult with your veterinarian.
For more information on endometritis or our intrauterine antibiotic treatment for endometritis, talk to your vet.