Evaluation of the Metricheck device and the gloved hand for the diagnosis of clinical endometritis in dairy cows.
The objective of this study was to compare 2 surrogate vaginal examination methods (i.e., gloved hand and a vaginal device) with vaginoscopy as a reference method for diagnosing clinical endometritis in dairy cows. Holstein-Friesian cows (n = 1,002) in 2 commercial dairy herds in Germany were examined for endometritis at 21 to 27 d in milk (DIM) by using 1 of 3 vaginal diagnostic methods. Vaginal examinations were performed either with a speculum (reference method), a vaginal device (Metricheck, Simcro, New Zealand), or a gloved hand. Vaginal discharge adhering to the diagnostic tool was classified according to a vaginal discharge score ranging from 0 to 3 (where 0 = translucent mucus, 1 = mucus containing flecks of white or off-white pus, 2 = less than 50% white or off-white mucopurulent material, and 3 = greater than 50% white or yellow pus that may be sanguineous). Cows with vaginal discharge scores of 1 to 3 received 500 microg of cloprostenol after examination and again 14 d later (35 to 41 DIM). The prevalence of endometritis in both herds was 40.6 and 40.3%, respectively. With the Metricheck device, significantly more cows were diagnosed as affected with endometritis than by examination with a speculum or a gloved hand (47.5 vs. 36.9 and 36.8%). Binary logistic regression for the risk of conception after first AI as an outcome variable, with vaginal discharge score, diagnostic method, and farm as covariates, revealed a significant effect of degree of endometritis, but not of the diagnostic methods. Survival analyses for the hazard of insemination and pregnancy within 200 DIM, respectively, revealed a significant effect of degree of endometritis, herd, and parity, but not of the diagnostic tool. It can be concluded that any one of the 3 vaginal examination methods can be used interchangeably, without a negative effect on reproductive performance.
Clinic for Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 65, 14163 Berlin, Germany.
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Pleticha
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Drillich
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Heuwieser
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D003008:Cloprostenol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003612:Dairying / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D004716:Endometritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D017575:Gloves, Protective; D016015:Logistic Models; D008186:Luteolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011897:Random Allocation
D008186:Luteolytic Agents; D003008:Cloprostenol