Systematic clinical examination of early postpartum cows and treatment of puerperal metritis did not have any beneficial effect on subsequent reproductive performance

The objective of this field trial was to evaluate the impact of a control program based on systematic clinical examination on Day 10 ± 3 post partum (pp) and treatment in the case of puerperal metritis on reproductive performance in dairy cows. Cows having serious dystocia as well as cows treated for retained placenta were not involved in the trial. The evaluation was performed by comparing reproductive performance between systematically examined cows (Group E, n = 83) and cows that were examined and treated occasionally on the basis of farmers' notifications of a pathological condition (Group C, n = 95). In Group E, reproductive performance was compared between cows with a mild form of metritis (Group E1, n = 18), cows with a severe form of metritis (Group E2, n = 14) and cows without puerperal metritis (Group E0, n = 51). Clinical examination consisted in rectal and vaginal palpation with inspection of the lochia manually withdrawn from the vagina. Cows with puerperal metritis were treated with an intramuscular administration of PGF2α analogue - dinoprost. An intrauterine antibiotic (rifaximin foam) was added in cases of severe metritis. The examination and treatment (in cases of a pathological condition, n = 10) were repeated in Group E on Day 24 ± 3 pp. In addition, the incidence of puerperal metritis in the year seasons was evaluated. Occurrence of ovarian disorders (30.1 vs. 24.2%) and clinical endometritis (27.7 vs. 23.2%), calving to first service interval (83.2 vs. 85.4 days), pregnancy until Day 100 pp (30.8 vs. 35.3%) as well as until Day 150 pp (64.6 vs. 64.7%), services per conception (2.45 vs. 2.16), calving to conception interval (141.6 vs. 136.4 days), total culling rate (20.5 vs. 28.4%) and culling rate due to (sub)infertility (8.4 vs. 6.3) in Group E compared to Group C were not different. Only the first service pregnancy rate was lower in Group E (30.3 vs. 47.1%, P < 0.05). Even though no significant differences were found in the reproduction parameters between groups E1, E2 and E0, the worst parameters were in Group E2. The incidence of puerperal metritis in the year seasons was not different. The trial did not prove that there was a beneficial effect of systematic clinical examination on Day 10 ± 3 pp nor of treatment in cases of puerperal metritis, using PGF2α and intrauterine antibiotic, on reproductive performance in dairy cows.