title: Risk factors associated with cytological endometritis diagnosed at artificial insemination in dairy cows.
abstract: In this study, we aimed to determine risk factors associated with cytological endometritis (CYTO) diagnosed at artificial insemination (AI) in dairy cows. The CYTO risk factors were evaluated based on 1.625 AI-CYTO samples obtained from 873 Holstein-Friesian cows from in total 18 dairy herds in Flanders (Belgium). The endometrial cytology samples were obtained using the cytotape technique, which consisted of adapting a 1.5 cm piece of paper tape to a standardly loaded AI catheter, covered with a double guard sheet. The polymorphonuclear cells' (PMNs) cut-off point for CYTO at AI was set at ≥ 1%. We constructed multilevel generalized mixed effect models in order to identify the risk factors associated with the presence of CYTO at AI. The CYTO prevalence at AI was 27.8% at the animal level, while the within-herd level prevalence ranged from 10.7 to 39.7%, with an average of 28.1%. Risk factors associated with the occurrence of CYTO were parity ≥2 [odds ratio (OR) = 1.8], days in milk (DIM) at AI ≥ 124 (OR = 0.4), and warm months of the year [July (OR = 2.9), August (OR = 2.3), and September (OR = 1.4)]. In conclusion, the present study supports that multiparous cows and cows that are inseminated in the summer months have a higher risk to suffer from CYTO at insemination, while the risk for CYTO is lower when the insemination is taking place at ≥ 124 DIM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: osvaldo.bogado@ugent.be.
authors.forename: O Bogado
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Pascottini
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Miel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hostens
authors.affiliation: CRV Holding BV, Van Thorenburghlaan 14, 9860, Oosterzele, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sys
authors.affiliation: CRV Holding BV, Van Thorenburghlaan 14, 9860, Oosterzele, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vercauteren
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Opsomer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004716:Endometritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000662:veterinary*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Artificial insemination; Cytological endometritis; Cytotape; Dairy cow; Risk factors