15-keto-13-14-dihydroprostaglandin-f2alpha and Uterine-Diseases

A total of 120 dairy cows were assigned randomly to three diets to determine the effects of omega-6 or omega-3 fatty acid (FA) supplementation on uterine diseases, ovarian responses, and blood concentrations of estradiol, progesterone, and PGFM in lactating Holstein dairy cows. Diets contained either protected palm oil (C), extruded linseed (L), or roasted whole soybeans (S), and they were fed from calving to Day 70 postpartum. Estrous cycles were synchronized and ovarian follicular development was monitored daily for an entire cycle. There were no differences among diets in the incidence of lameness, mastitis, or metritis, but the incidence of clinical endometritis was lower (P < 0.05) in cows fed S (0%) compared with cows fed C (28.2%) and L (20.5%). Uterine involution in cows fed S occurred 3.77 and 2.78 days earlier, respectively, than in those fed C and L. The PGFM response 60 minutes after an oxytocin challenge was highest for cows fed S and lowest for cows fed L. Mean plasma progesterone concentration on Day 15 of the synchronized cycle was higher in cows fed S (14.5 ng/mL) and L (15.0 ng/mL) than in those fed C (12.0 ng/mL). The ovulatory follicle on Day 21 of the estrous cycle (estrous = Day 0) was larger in cows fed S (16.1 ± 0.9 mm) and L (15.7 ± 0.7 mm) compared with cows fed C (13.2 ± 0.87 mm; P = 0.02) but there were no significant differences between cows fed diets S and L. The mean number of small and medium follicles and diameter of subordinate follicle were similar among diets. In conclusion, feeding a source of omega-6 FA can be a strategy to improve uterine health after calving, although a source of omega-3 FA such as L should be fed after uterine involution to decrease PGF2α secretion.

Topics: Animal Feed; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Dairying; Diet; Dinoprost; Fatty Acids, Omega-3; Fatty Acids, Omega-6; Female; Lactation; Ovary; Uterine Diseases; Uterus

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of puerperal uterine disease on uterine blood flow using trans-rectal Doppler sonography. Lactating Holstein Friesian cows (n=44) were divided into two groups based on whether they were healthy (UD-; n=23) or had uterine disease (UD+; n=21) defined as retained fetal membranes and/or metritis. General clinical examination, vaginoscopy, trans-rectal palpation, and trans-rectal B-Mode sonography were conducted on Days 8, 11, 18, 25 and then every 10 days until Day 65 after calving. Doppler sonography of the uterine arteries was conducted on Day 8, during diestrus after the second ovulation (Days 40-60 after calving) and during diestrus before breeding (Days 63-75 after calving). Cows with uterine disease had greater (P<0.05) uterine size as assessed trans-rectally compared with cows of the UD group. Sonographic measurements on Day 11 after parturition revealed a greater (P<0.05) horn diameter in cows of the UD+ than in the UD- group. Both uterine size and uterine horn diameter decreased more earlier following parturition (P<0.05) in cows of the UD- group. Blood flow volume (BFV) was greater and pulsatility index was less on Day 8 after calving in cows of UD+ than UD- group (P<0.05). In cows of the UD-, but not in those of the UD+ group, there was a further reduction in BFV subsequent to Day 45 after calving (P<0.05). The results of this study show that uterine blood flow measures by trans-rectal Doppler sonography are affected by puerperal uterine disease.

Topics: Animals; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Dairying; Dinoprost; Female; Puerperal Disorders; Regional Blood Flow; Ultrasonography, Doppler; Uterine Artery; Uterine Diseases; Uterus

To study ovarian responses to long-term intrauterine infusions of Trueperella pyogenes (T. pyogenes), 12 nonlacting Holstein cows were transcervically infused with 10 mL of a bacterial solution (8-19 × 10(8) colony-forming units/mL), and the uteri of another four cows (control) were similarly infused with sterile physiological saline. Infusions were done six times, every 3 days from Days 3 to 18 (Day 0 = day of spontaneous ovulation). Development of ovarian follicles and the CL were monitored with transrectal, real-time ultrasonography. In five of the experimentally infected cows (group A), the CL, which developed after Day 0, regressed without maturing, and the first dominant follicle (DF) ovulated (mean ± SEM interovulatory interval, 8.6 ± 0.5 days). In group A, plasma 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF(2α) (PGFM) concentrations rose sharply on Day 6, but plasma progesterone concentrations did not increase substantially (as in the control) and were maintained at approximately 2.5 ng/mL after the first DF ovulated. In seven of the 12 infected cows (group B), the developing CL which formed after Day 0 matured and the second DF ovulated. However, the CL lifespan was shorter (P < 0.01) and the second DF ovulated earlier than in control (interovulatory interval, 16.0 ± 0.4 days and 22.3 ± 1.9 days; P < 0.01). Although there was no sharp increase in PGFM in group B, it tended to be high between Days 11 and 18. In conclusion, long-term, intrauterine infusions of T. pyogenes caused the CL to regress prematurely or to have a somewhat shorter lifespan because of release of endogenous PGF(2α).

Topics: Actinomycetaceae; Actinomycetales Infections; Animals; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Corpus Luteum; Dinoprost; Estrous Cycle; Female; Ovulation; Progesterone; Ultrasonography; Uterine Diseases; Uterus

Objectives were to evaluate effects of feeding a calcium salt rich in linoleic and trans-octadecenoic acids (LTFA) on synthesis of prostaglandin F(2alpha) based on its metabolite (PGFM), uterine involution and pregnancy rates in lactating dairy cows. Five hundred and eleven Holstein cows were blocked according to parity, body condition score and milk yield in the previous lactation. Primiparous and multiparous cows were randomly assigned to one of the two treatments consisting of calcium salt (2% diet dry matter) of either palm oil (PO) or LTFA from 25 days prepartum to 80 days of lactation. Cows were time-inseminated at 70 +/- 3 days postpartum. Feeding LTFA tended (p = 0.08) to decrease the incidence of puerperal metritis (15.1% vs 8.8%). Primiparous cows supplemented with LTFA showed larger increase in plasma PGFM concentration at day 1 postpartum (17018 vs 6897 pm). Pregnancy rate after first insemination tended (p = 0.07) to be greater at 27 days after insemination (37.9% vs 28.6%), and was greater (p = 0.05) at 41 days after insemination (35.5% vs 25.8%) for cows fed LTFA compared with PO. These results indicate that unsaturated fatty acids fed in a rumen inert form have the potential to modulate reproductive events and improve pregnancy rates in lactating dairy cows.

Topics: Animals; Calcium; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Dietary Supplements; Dinoprost; Female; Fertility; Insemination, Artificial; Lactation; Linoleic Acids; Logistic Models; Oleic Acids; Palm Oil; Plant Oils; Pregnancy; Uterine Diseases

The objective of the present study was to validate a simple, sensitive and direct enzymeimmunoassay (EIA) procedure for 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF(2alpha) (PGFM) for use in buffaloes with postpartum reproductive disorders and determine the practicalities of using plasma concentrations of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF(2alpha) for monitoring their reproductive health. The EIA was used for determination of the circulating levels of PGFM associated with the retention of fetal membranes, postpartum endometritis and variable postpartum intervals. The concentrations of PGFM with retention of fetal membranes in the periparturient period were lower as compared to buffaloes that had uneventful parturitions. Concentrations of PGFM associated with postpartum endometritis were elevated as compared to those in buffaloes free of reproductive tract infections. Buffaloes having higher plasma concentrations of PGFM in early postpartum period had shorter postpartum intervals, indicating the association between PGFM concentrations postpartum and uterine involution as well as the resumption of estrous cycle in this species. The study presents the possibility of using circulating PGFM concentrations for monitoring the postpartum reproductive health of buffaloes.

Topics: Animals; Antibody Specificity; Buffaloes; Dinoprost; Endometritis; Female; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Placenta, Retained; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; Puerperal Disorders; Reproducibility of Results; Reproduction; Sensitivity and Specificity; Uterine Diseases

Topics: Acute-Phase Proteins; Animals; Dinoprost; Endometritis; Female; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; Sheep; Sheep Diseases; Uterine Diseases

The rate of uterine involution postpartum was monitored in 13 suckling mule ewes by using radio-opaque markers and radiography, and each ewe was also monitored for intrauterine bacterial contamination during the first week, using a sterile guarded swab. Peripheral plasma or serum concentrations of haptoglobin, seromucoid, ceruloplasmin and 15-keto-13,14-dihydro-prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGFM) were measured up to six weeks postpartum. The maximum reduction in the length of the uterine body and in the diameters of the horns occurred by 28 days postpartum, except in one ewe in which the size of the uterus continued to decrease for 42 days. Four ewes were positive for intrauterine bacterial contamination; Escherichia coli, clostridial species, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus uberis and Enterococcus species were isolated in pure or mixed culture. The presence of intrauterine bacteria did not affect the time for the completion of uterine involution. No bacteria were isolated from the ewe in which involution was delayed, but it had a different acute phase protein response and was therefore excluded from further analyses. In the remaining 12 ewes the mean postpartum haptoglobin response increased, with peak concentrations occurring on day 1, and decreased slowly as uterine involution progressed, but the four contaminated ewes had a significantly greater response. There was no difference between the prepartum and postpartum concentrations of seromucoid in the eight sterile ewes, but significant increases were observed in the contaminated group; the concentrations of ceruloplasmin did not vary in either group. The concentrations of PGFM were higher during the early postpartum period in the ewes with contaminated uteri.

Topics: Acute-Phase Proteins; Animals; Dinoprost; Female; Sheep; Sheep Diseases; Uterine Diseases; Uterus

Uterine fluid was obtained from eight clinical cases of pyometra with retained corpus luteum and nine additional samples of fluid were collected from animals slaughtered at an abattoir. These samples, along with uterine flushes from normal cows in their luteal phase were analyzed for prostaglandin of the F (PGF) and E (PGE) groups. Blood samples were also obtained from the clinical cases for analysis of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto PGF (PGFM) the major metabolite of PGF. Pyometrial exudate from clinical cases of abattoir samples had high concentrations of PGF (17.9 ng/mL) and PGE (33.2 ng/mL) and the total amount of PGF and PGE in the uterus was calculated to be several hundred times as great as in normal cows. Furthermore, clinical cases had elevated PGFM in their blood compared to that of controls, which suggests that at least some of the PGF was being absorbed from the uterus. These results are discussed in light of our current understanding of the maternal recognition of pregnancy in cattle.

Topics: Animals; Body Fluids; Cattle; Corpus Luteum Maintenance; Dinoprost; Female; Pregnancy; Prostaglandins; Prostaglandins E; Prostaglandins F; Puerperal Infection; Uterine Diseases; Uterus