ASSOCIATIONS OF CLINICAL FINDINGS, BACTERIOLOGICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL RESULTS OF ENDOMETRIAL BIOPSY WITH REPRODUCTIVE-PERFORMANCE OF POSTPARTUM DAIRY-COWS

Ninety-seven cows from a commercial Holstein-Friesian dairy herd were studied- Cows were classified as having exhibited good or poor reproductive performance. Unconditional relationships were examined between prostaglandin administration, clinical and palpation findings and histological and bacteriological culture results of endometrial biopsies taken at Days 26 and 40 postpartum and the reproductive performance variable. Variables unconditionally associated with performance were then offered to logistic multiple-regression models to quantify the diagnostic efficacy of these findings. Logistic regression models were calculated for histological, bacteriological, and clinical findings (at Days 26 and 40) first separately and then in a combined model. Cows positive for Actinomyces pyogenes or anaerobic bacteria were more likely to be poor reproductive performers. Variables from Day 26 postpartum were more likely to be conditionally associated with reproductive performance than findings from Day 40. Ovarian findings from Day 26 were associated with subsequent reproductive performance only when the location of the structure relative to the previously gravid horn was considered. In the final combined model, increased inflammation in the stratum compactum and more areas of epithelium increased the likelihood of poor reproductive performance, and increased numbers of lymphocytic foci in the stratum compactum and larger follicles on the gravid-side ovary reduced the risk of poor reproductive performance. This model included information on 55 cows and achieved 84% correct predictions, with a sensitivity (for poor cows) of 92% and a specificity (good cows) of 77%.