Efficacy of a second intrauterine cephapirin infusion in dairy cows for the treatment of purulent vaginal discharge and endometritis

Abstract

Purulent vaginal discharge (PVD) diagnosed using a metricheck device and endometritis (ENDO) diagnosed using a leukocyte esterase test are associated with detrimental impact of subsequent reproductive performance of dairy cows. The efficacy of intrauterine cephapirin for treating PVD and ENDO was shown by multiple studies. All these studies validated the efficacy of 1 intrauterine cephapirin infusion given at the time of diagnosis to treat PVD and ENDO (in comparison with no treatment). Therefore, it remains unclear if cows would benefit from a second intrauterine cephapirin infusion 2 weeks after the initial treatment. The objective of this study was to quantify the impact of a second intrauterine infusion of cephapirin on the subsequent reproductive performance of postpartum dairy cows affected by PVD and ENDO.