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:
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.
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:
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.
TreatmentA 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.
FDA-approved and offers 100% peace of mind due to zero milk discard.
