Document Type : Original Article
Authors
Department of Veterinary Gynecology and Obstetrics, DGCN College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, Palampur, India
Abstract
The present research was carried out to assess the serum progesterone (P4) concentration and uterine hemodynamics at estrus till ovulation in cyclic cows (N = 130) with healthy or diseased uterus. At estrus, 85 cows were diagnosed with clinical endometritis (CE; n = 44) and sub-clinical endometritis (SCE; n = 41); whereas, 45 cows being served as control namely no endometritis (NE; n = 45) were included in the study. Serum progesterone estimation at 12 - 14 and 40 hr after the onset of estrus and Doppler sonography of both middle uterine arteries were done to envisage the uterine hemodynamics and ovulation. The serum progesterone concentration was significantly higher at 12 - 14 hr after onset of estrus in CE and SCE cows. At 12 - 14 hr after onset of estrus, a cut-off value of ≥ 0.48 ng mL-1 P4 was obtained, above which 22.72% CE, 26.82% SCE and only 8.88% NE cows failed to ovulate within 36 - 40 hr of estrus onset. Among the Doppler indices, pulsatility and resistance indices were significantly higher; whereas, volume and velocity indices were significantly lower in NE cows. In cows diagnosed with CE and SCE, a higher supra-basal P4 concentration, and velocity and volume of blood flow to uterus at estrus negatively affected the duration to ovulation.
Keywords
Main Subjects
- Sheldon IM, Bushnell M, Montgomery J, et al. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of some antimicrobial drugs against bacteria causing uterine infections in cattle. Vet Rec 2004; 155(13): 383-387.
- Mohammad ZA, Mann GE, Robinson RS. Impact of endometritis on post-partum ovarian cyclicity in dairy cows. Vet J 2019; 248: 8-13.
- Duchens M, Maciel M, Gustafsson H, et al. Influence of perioestrous suprabasal progesterone levels on cycle length, oestrous behaviour and ovulation in heifers. Anim Reprod Sci 1995; 37(2): 95-108.
- Båge R, Gustafsson H, Larsson B, et al. Repeat breeding in dairy heifers: follicular dynamics and estrous cycle characteristics in relation to sexual hormone patterns. Theriogenology 2002; 57(9): 2257-2269.
- Sharma A, Singh M, Abrol A, et al. Doppler sonography of uterine blood flow at mid-estrus during different degree of clinical endometritis in dairy cows. Reprod Domest Anim 2019; 54(9): 1274-1278.
- Pascottini OB, Hostens M, Sys P, et al. Risk factors associated with cytological endometritis diagnosed at artificial insemination in dairy cows. Theriogenology 2017; 92: 1-5.
- Bollwein H, Meyer HH, Maierl J, et al. Transrectal Doppler sonography of uterine blood flow. Theriogenology 2000; 53(8): 1541-1552.
- Ginther OJ, Utt MD. Doppler ultrasound in equine reproduction: principles, techniques, and potential. J Equine Vet Sci 2004; 24(12): 516-526.
- Sheldon IM, Cronin J, Goetze L, et al. Defining postpartum uterine disease and the mechanisms of infection and immunity in the female reproductive tract in cattle. Biol Reprod 2009; 81(6): 1025-1032.
- Sheldon IM, Noakes DE, Rycroft AN, et al. Influence of uterine bacterial contamination after parturition on ovarian dominant follicle selection and follicle growth and function in cattle. Reproduction 2002; 123(6): 837-845.
- Williams EJ, Fischer DP, Noakes DE, et al. The relationship between uterine pathogen growth density and ovarian function in the postpartum dairy cow. Theriogenology 2007; 68(4): 549-559.
- Sharma A, Singh M, Kumar P, et al. Mid-estrus uterine blood flow in endometritic and non-endometritic dairy cows using transrectal Doppler ultrasonography. Biol Rhythm Res 2021; 52(5): 803-808.
- Roelofs JB, van Eerdenburg FJCM, Soede NM, et al. Various behavioral signs of estrous and their relationship with time of ovulation in dairy cattle. Theriogenology 2005; 63(5): 1366-1377.
- Robinson B, Noakes DE. Reproductive physiology of female animals. In: Noakes DE, Parkinson TJ, England GCW (Eds). Veterinary reproduction and obstetrics. 10th London, UK: Saunders 2019; 2-34.
- Noble KM, Tebble JE, Harvey D, et al. Ultrasonography and hormone profiles of persistent ovarian follicles (cysts) induced with low doses of progesterone in cattle. J Reprod Fertil 2000; 120(2): 361-366.
- Halter TB, Hayes SH, Laranja da Fonseca LF, et al. Relationship between endogenous progesterone and follicular dynamics in lactating dairy cows with ovarian follicular cysts. Biol Reprod 2003; 69(1): 218-223.
- Robinson RS, Hunter MG, Mann GE. Supra-basal progesterone concentrations during the follicular phase are associated with development of cystic follicles in dairy cows. Vet J 2006; 172(2): 340-346.
- Lavon Y, Lietner G, Goshen T, et al. Exposure to endotoxin during estrus alters the timing of ovulation and hormonal concentrations in cows. Theriogenology 2008; 70(6): 956-967.
- Green MP, Ledgard AM, Beaumont SE, et al. Long-term alteration of follicular steroid concentrations in relation to subclinical endometritis in postpartum dairy cows. J Anim Sci 2011; 89(11): 3551-3560.
- Leung ST, Cheng Z, Sheldrick EL, et al. The effects of lipopolysaccharide and interleukins-1alpha, -2 and -6 on oxytocin receptor expression and prostaglandin production in bovine endometrium. J Endocrinol 2001; 168(3): 497-508.
- Kaneko K, Kawakami S. The roles of PGF(2alpha) and PGE(2) in regression of the corpus luteum after intrauterine infusion of Arcanobacterium pyogenes in cows. Theriogenology 2009; 71(5): 858-863.
- Rosselli M, Keller PJ, Dubey RK. Role of nitric oxide in the biology, physiology and pathophysiology of reproduction. Hum Reprod Update 1998; 4(1): 3-24.
- Varughese EE, Brar PS, Dhindsa SS. Uterine blood flow during various stages of pregnancy in dairy buffaloes using transrectal Doppler ultrasonography. Anim Reprod Sci 2013; 140(1-2): 34-39.
- Tinkanen H, Kunjansuu E. Doppler ultrasound studies in pelvic inflammatory disease. Gynecol Obstet Invest 1992; 34(4): 240-242.
- Debertolis L, Mari G, Merlo B, et al. Effects of induced endometritis on uterine blood flow in cows as evaluated by transrectal Doppler sonography. J Vet Sci 2016; 17(2): 189-197.
- Honnens A, Voss C, Herzog K, et al. Uterine blood flow during the first 3 weeks of pregnancy in dairy cows. Theriogenology 2008; 70(7): 1048-1056.
- Crookenden MA, Lake AVR, Burke CR, et al. Effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the inflammatory response of bovine endometrial epithelial cells in vitro. J Dairy Sci 2023; 106(4): 2651-2666.
- Satheshkumar S. Luteal hemodynamics during spontaneous and induced luteolysis in crossbred cattle. Indian J Anim Sci 2022; 92(6): 737-740.
)