Abstract

Subclinical endometritis (SCE) is a form of uterine pathology characterised by an increased proportion of polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) in the uterus post-calving. Previous studies demonstrated a negative association between SCE and lower milk production, with indications that systemic inflammation underlies this link. Accordingly, the hypothesis tested was that treatment with a non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) would increase milk yield in cows with ≥ 14% PMN at Day 14. In this study, ≥ 14% PMN in the cytological sample collected at Day 14 postpartum was defined as SCE. To test this hypothesis, 213 dairy cows were paired by calving date and Day 14 PMN%, then randomly assigned to three doses of a NSAID (Carprofen 1.4 mg/kg, n = 103) between 21 and 31 days postpartum or left as untreated controls (n = 108). The effect of the NSAID treatment on milk production was analysed using mixed models. While the results supported previous evidence of a negative association between SCE and milk production, NSAID had no effect on either PMN % at Day 42 or milk production (P > 0.1) in this study. The lack of a NSAID effect was possibly because SCE spontaneously resolved in more than 90% of the cases

NV, Priest, KLM McLeod, S McDougall, CR Burke, JR Roche, M Mitchell, and SL Greenwood

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 72, Christchurch, 23-27, 2012