Abstract

This study examined the effect of sub-clinical endometritis (scEndo) in early lactation on plasma amino acid (AA) concentrations of dairy cattle (n = 46). On D21 and D42 postpartum cows were classified as having scEndo or Clean based on uterine cytology; >18% polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells amongst uterine nucleated cells. On D21 and D42, 35% and 7% of cows respectively were classified as having scEndo, with a large proportion of scEndo cows having self-resolved the infection by D42. Plasma serine concentrations were higher (P <0.03) in scEndo compared to Clean cows irrespective of day postpartum. Independent of uterine status, three AA altered (P <0.05) in concentration between D21 and D42. The effect of change in uterine status from D21 to D42 resulted in decreased (P =0.05) concentrations of three AA in cows that resolved infection. The use of a lower cut-off to define scEndo (4% vs 18%PMN) identified four AA, instead of three AA at 18% that differed over time. Thus, during the early postpartum period, the concentrations of a number of AA change (P <0.05) irrespective of uterine health. However, scEndo is associated with an increase in plasma serine and a decrease in the concentration of several AA when a uterine infection is resolved.

T, Lopdell, MC Berg, MP Green, and PJ Back

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 71, Invercargill, 291-295, 2011