Effect of intrauterine bacterial infusions and subsequent endometritis on prostaglandin F2α metabolite concentrations in postpartum beef cows

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Abstract
Multiparous Angus and crossbred Angus cows were used to determine the effect of induced endometritis on plasma concentrations of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2α (PGFM) and progesterone (P4) and on duration of the estrous cycle of treatment. Beginning on the day of calving (d 0), blood samples were collected on alternate days. On three consecutive days, ranging from d 8 to 14 of the first postpartum estrous cycle, uterine horns were inoculated transcervically with either 3 × 109 colony forming units (cfu) of Actinomyces pyogenes and 1.5 × 109 cfu of β-hemolytic Escherichia coli (treated; n = 9) in sterile PBS or with sterile PBS alone (control; n = 9). Samples of uterine fluid were collected by transcervical aspiration twice weekly from just before the start of each series of inoculations until the end of the experiment. Endometrial biopsies were collected transcervically between d 4 to 6 and 11 to 13 after inoculation. Based on clinical observations and results of bacterial cultures, all treated cows developed acute uterine infections. Controls did not develop uterine infections. Endometrial biopsies indicated that there were no significant diffuse or focal cellular reactions in response to the infection. The interestrous interval was greater (P < .0003) for treated (27.7 ± 1.0 d) than for control (20.6 ± 1.0 d) cows, but P4 concentrations were similar between the two groups. Mean PGFM concentration and PGFM profiles were similar (P > .10) between treated and control cows before bacterial infusions. Bacterial infusions increased mean PGFM concentration (P < .0001) and changed the shape of the PGFM profile (P < .02).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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