Metritis/Fresh-Cow Health
Overview
Fresh cows are fragile cows. At a time when they are ramping up to hit peak milk production,
they’re also at their greatest risk of faltering. Pfizer Animal Health recognizes the
importance of fresh cows and is an industry leader in promoting early intervention in
fresh-cow problems. Good uterine health is critical to help launch cows on a healthy,
productive course after calving.
Acute postpartum metritis ranks among the top health problems of fresh cows. At least
one-fourth of all fresh cows experience acute metritis, an inflammation of the entire uterine
wall caused by bacterial infection. And, for cows with retained fetal membranes, the incidence
leaps to 80 percent or higher.
Metritis can cause:
- Prolonged days open, due to lower conception and estrous detection rates
- Increased culling rate, resulting in higher replacement costs
- Higher insemination costs, due to repeat artificial insemination (AI) services
- Greater costs for veterinary interventions, plus income lost from milk that must be discarded when using extra-label therapies
Metritis makes the cow more susceptible to ketosis, displaced abomasum and other postpartum
ailments. The end results? Impaired fertility – either temporary or permanent. Severe cases
can result in death.
Metritis also has a profound effect on fresh-cow performance and profitability. At a time when
dry-matter intake is critical to meet the demands of lactation, affected cows become depressed
and go off feed. In a University of Illinois study, cows suffering from retained placenta/metritis
had reduced dry-matter intake and lower milk production than healthy cows. Even with metritis
treatment, their production levels never caught up to healthy herdmates in the 20-day
evaluation period.
Causes
Just after calving, the uterus is an ideal environment for bacterial growth. During the first
week postpartum, bacterial contamination occurs in up to 90 percent of cows. Whether or not
full-blown metritis will develop depends on three factors:
- The number and virulence of the bacteria present
- The condition of the uterus
- The strength of the cow’s natural defense mechanisms
Metritis is commonly associated with uterine contamination from Arcanobacterium pyogenes,
either alone or in conjunction with other pathogenic organisms:
- Fusobacterium necrophorum
- Bacteroides spp.
- Escherichia coli
These routine occurrences can overwhelm the fresh cow’s defense system and increase the
chances of metritis:
- Twins
- Dead calf
- Difficulty calving
- Improper calving assistance
- Milk fever
Inadequate nutrition can interfere with uterine involution after calving. Rapid involution is
key to naturally expelling fluid, placental membranes and bacteria from the reproductive tract.
Clinical Signs and Diagnosis
Uterine cultures can confirm the presence of bacterial infection, but in the field, the disease
is usually diagnosed by these symptoms:
- Fever (103 degrees Fahrenheit or higher)
- A foul-smelling, watery vaginal discharge
- Decreased appetite
- Dehydration
- Depression
- Reduced milk production
Some uterine discharge for about two weeks after calving is a normal sign of healthy
involution and evacuation of the uterus. But when a foul odor and fever accompany this
discharge, metritis almost always is the cause. Fever often surfaces 24 to 36 hours before
other clinical signs.
Management
Prevention and early intervention are key strategies to limit the economic impact of
metritis. Even the best-managed herds are likely to have some cows affected by
metritis. Use these management practices to decrease the incidence of metritis:
- Good nutrition
- Clean, dry calving facilities
- Sanitary calving assistance
To learn more about the effects of metritis and ways to manage herd health, click on the following article links:
Early detection and prompt treatment are critical to limiting the damaging effects of
metritis, so Pfizer Animal Health recommends taking rectal temperatures of all fresh cows
for a full 10 days after calving. This protocol is a cornerstone of the
100-Day ContractSM
Dairy Wellness Plan, a comprehensive cow management program developed by Pfizer. Early
detection allows for early intervention with veterinary-prescribed treatments.
Treatment
A new metritis treatment option recently became available – one that’s safe, effective
and easy to use. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved
EXCENEL® RTU (ceftiofur hydrochloride) Sterile Suspension
for treating acute postpartum metritis in lactating dairy cows.
This popular dairy antibiotic – already widely prescribed for pneumonia and foot rot – now
is approved to treat metritis via intramuscular or subcutaneous injection. Better still,
no milk discard
is required when EXCENEL RTU is
used as directed. As with all drugs, EXCENEL RTU should
not be used in animals found to be hypersensitive to the product.
The effectiveness of EXCENEL RTU against
metritis is related to its activity against pathogens associated with the disease. In studies by
Sarah Salmon and Eric Schmitt et al., the active metabolites of
EXCENEL RTU achieved
concentrations in target fluids and tissues higher than the MIC90 – minimum inhibitory
concentration – for Arcanobacterium pyogenes, Fusobacterium necrophorum and
Escherichia coli.
Extensive trial work proves the efficacy of EXCENEL RTU in
treating acute postpartum metritis. A research study on eight commercial dairies in the United
States by John Chenault et al. showed that EXCENEL RTU administered
for five consecutive days at 2.2 mg ceftiofur equivalents (CE)/kg body weight was effective in the
treatment of metritis. Click here to view the abstract.
The following table compares EXCENEL RTU with other
commonly used metritis treatments. Only EXCENEL RTU is
FDA-approved and offers 100% peace of mind due to zero milk discard.
As with all drugs, EXCENEL RTU should not be used in animals found to be hypersensitive to the product.
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