Effect of intrauterine infusion of two cephalosporins, ceftazidime and cephapirin, on uterine bacterial load and uterine horn diameter in bovine subclinical endometritis

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of intrauterine infusion of ceftazidime and cephapirin on uteri­ne bacterial load and uterine horn diameter in bovine subclinical endometritis. At 7-8 weeks postpartum, a total of 122 cows suffering from subclinical endometritis were divided into three groups. Group I cows were intrauterinely (IU) infused with 2 g ceftazidime diluted with 50 mL saline; group II cows were IU infused with 2 g cephapirin diluted with 50 mL saline; and group III cows were kept as untreated control. Vaginal examination, ultrasonography and bacterial examination were done before treatment programme and later repeated twice at 10-day intervals. Staphylococcus spp., Klebsiella spp., Streptococcus spp., Escherichia coli and Proteus spp. were isolated. After the end of the treatment programme, proportions of cows infected with Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. were significantly (P<0.05) decreased in ceftazidime and cephapirin groups. However, proportions of cows infected with Escherichia coli were significantly (P<0.05) decreased in the ceftazidime group only. Uterine bacterial loads in ceftazidime and cephapirin groups were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Mean uterine horn diameters in ceftazidime group (2.44±0.03 cm) became significantly lower (P<0.05) than those in cephapirin (2.70±0.04 cm) and control (3.06±0.06 cm) groups. Conception rate in ceftazidime group (80.95%) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than rates recorded in cephapirin (64.00%) and control (26.67%) groups. In conclusion, ceftazidime and cephapirin decreased uterine bacterial load. Moreover, ceftazidime significantly reduced uterine horn diameter compared to the other groups and was associated with significantly higher conception rate. Thus, ceftazidime is recommended for treatment of subclinical endometritis in dairy cows.