Metritis and endometritis in high yielding dairy cows Metritis en endometritis bij hoogproductief melkvee

Since a few decades, dairy cows have shown a steep increase in milk production, which is unfortunately accompanied by a dramatic decline in reproductive performance. In these high yielding cows there are more puerperal problems than in low yielding cows, such as retained placenta, acute metritis and abnormal vaginal discharge. Cows affected by retained placenta and/or acute metritis are furthermore at a significantly higher risk of other typical ‘dairy cow diseases’ as acetonaemia, left displaced abomasum and cystic ovarian disease. Therefore it is important that puerperal metritis is treated properly with broadspectrum antibiotics both parenterally and intra-uterine during 1 – 3 days depending on the severity of the symptoms. Cows with chronic endometritis need no treatment before 30 days post partum. From day 30 on they should be treated twice with prostaglandins at an interval of 14 days. A challenge for the future is to clearly determine all risk factors for uterine disease. One of the major risk factors is a retained placenta. Correct nutrition during the dry off period and a normal calving process under hygienic conditions are the paramount factors in the prevention of this risk factor.