Title
Association between serum calcium levels and the presentation of postpartum endometritis in housed dairy cows
Date Issued
01 May 2022
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Ruiz-García L.F.
Arévalo I.K.C.
Pizarro J.L.
Sandoval-Monzón R.S.
Publisher(s)
Elsevier B.V.
Abstract
The present work aims to identify the minimum threshold of serum calcium (SC) values in cows during the first week postpartum and evaluate their relationship with the presentation of endometritis in housed dairy cows. In this prospective longitudinal observational study, 467 cows from 3 farms in Lima-Peru were studied. Blood samples were collected from cows during the first week postpartum. Endometritis was diagnosed on day 35 ± 3 days postpartum by evaluation of vaginal discharge samples. The samples were obtained using the MetricheckTM device (Simcro, New Zealand). Two cut-off points were used to diagnose endometritis: a) endometritis metricheck score ≥ 3, and b) endometritis metricheck score ≥ 2. In the univariate model that considers a SC threshold of 5.25 to 8.75 mg/dL (1.31 to 2.18 mmol/L), a significant relationship (p < 0.05) was found for endometritis metricheck score ≥ 3, while no significant relationship was found (p = 0.12) with endometritis metricheck score ≥ 2. In both cases, the optimal SC threshold for the appearance of endometritis was determined to be a value ≥7.0 mg/dL (≥1.75 mmol/L). In the logistic regression models (parity, calving season, calcium level, and their interaction), only two variables were retained, parity and calcium level (p < 0.10). It was found that the probability of having endometritis metricheck score ≥ 3 was 1.9 (95% CI: 1.1 to 3.1), whereas the probability of having endometritis metricheck score ≥ 2 was 1.5 (95% CI: 1.0 to 2.5) in cows with calcium levels <7.0 mg/dL (<1.75 mmol/L). In conclusion, cows with calcium levels <7.0 mg/dL (<1.75 mmol/L) have a 1.9-fold greater risk of developing endometritis metricheck score ≥ 3 in the first week postpartum.
Start page
92
End page
97
Volume
144
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ciencia veterinaria
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85123574357
PubMed ID
Source
Research in Veterinary Science
ISSN of the container
00345288
Sponsor(s)
This study was supported, in part, by a grant from the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (Grant numbers 160801211 , 160801047 ). We wish to thank Dr. Mariela Olano, Dr. Katty Bayona, Ing. Jorge Calderon, Daniela Valera, Juan Sandoval, and Cesar Dominguez for their technical assistance.
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus