Postpartum intrauterine dextrose infusion: Effects on uterine health, metabolic stress, systemic inflammation, and daily milk yield in clinically healthy dairy cows

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of intrauterine dextrose infusion at 4 ± 1 d in milk (DIM) on the incidence of clinical metritis (CM), metabolic stress [i.e., body condition score (BCS), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentration, and subclinical ketosis incidence], systemic inflammation (i.e., haptoglobin concentration), and daily milk yield in clinically healthy postpartum dairy cows. Cows (n = 245) from a dairy farm located in southwest Pennsylvania were screened at 4 ± 1 DIM using a Metricheck (Simcro Tech Ltd.) device to assess vaginal discharge. In addition, overall cow health (e.g., lameness, abnormal breathing) and rectal temperature were assessed at this time. Cows (n = 134) that presented a clear dense vaginal discharge, were in clinically good health status, and had a normal rectal temperature (i.e., <39.7°C) were blocked by parity (primiparous = 64; multiparous = 70) and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: (1) SAL (n = 45): 1 intrauterine infusion of isotonic saline solution (1 L/cow); (2) DEX (n = 44): 1 intrauterine infusion of a 50% dextrose solution (1 L/cow), or (3) CON (n = 45): cows remained untreated. Cows were re-screened at 7 d after enrollment (11 ± 1 DIM) using the Metricheck device to assess CM incidence (research clinical metritis incidence; RCMI). On-farm computer records (i.e., Dairycomp 305) were also used to collect clinical metritis incidence (farm clinical metritis incidence; FCMI). In addition, BCS was assessed and blood samples were collected at enrollment and at study d 7, 14, and 21. Furthermore, daily milk yield and clinical disease events for the first 60 DIM were collected from on-farm computer records. The data were analyzed using the MIXED and GLIMMIX procedures of SAS (SAS Institute Inc.) as a randomized complete block design. Although not significant, the RCMI and FCMI in DEX and SAL cows were on average 14.5 and 18.1 percentage points higher, respectively, compared with CON cows. The SAL cows had higher BHB and haptoglobin concentrations and higher incidence of subclinical ketosis compared with CON cows on study d 7. With regard to daily milk yield, there was a day by treatment interaction, where CON cows produced more milk on certain days compared with DEX and SAL cows. Based on these findings, authors conclude that intrauterine dextrose infusion in clinically healthy postpartum cows with normal vaginal discharge may be prejudicial for cow health and performance.