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Association between postpartum pyrexia and uterine bacterial infection in dairy cattle
Author(s) -
Sheldon I. M.,
Rycroft A. N.,
Zhou C.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
veterinary record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.261
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 2042-7670
pISSN - 0042-4900
DOI - 10.1136/vr.154.10.289
Subject(s) - acute phase protein , uterus , bacteria , anaerobic bacteria , biology , dairy cattle , anaerobic exercise , physiology , medicine , zoology , veterinary medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , inflammation , genetics
The temperature of 90 dairy cattle was recorded for the first 10 days after parturition and the animals were categorised as either normal (<39.7°C) or pyrexic. Swabs were collected from the uterine lumen seven, 14, 21 and 28 days after parturition for aerobic and anaerobic culture; bacteria were identified and their growth was scored semiquantitatively. Blood samples were collected three times a week for the estimation of the concentrations of acute phase proteins. The cows' temperatures were often above the accepted normal range, but it was not a good indicator of the number of bacteria in the uterus. However, pyrexia was correlated with the presence of specific uterine pathogens (P<0.05) and in particular with Prevotella species (P<0.01). The pyrexic animals had a higher plasma concentration of the acute phase protein (α1‐acid glycoprotein (P<0.05). Although pyrexia is an indicator of postpartum inflammation, additional clinical signs are necessary to identify uterine bacterial infection.