~ 200 ~ Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2018; 7(1): 200-202 E-ISSN: 2278-4136 P-ISSN: 2349-8234 JPP 2018; 7(1): 200-202 Received: 19-11-2017 Accepted: 21-12-2017 Bilal Ahmad Ganaie Ph. D Scholar, Division of Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, ICAR National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India Faheem Sultan Ph. D Scholar, Department of pharmacology and toxicology, GADVASU Ludhiana, Punjab, India Susheel Kumar M.V.Sc, Division of Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, ICAR National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India Prajwalita Pathak Ph. D Scholar, Department of Livestock Production and Management, SKUAST-K, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India Vivek Nayak M.V.Sc, Division of Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, ICAR National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India Correspondence Bilal Ahmad Ganaie Ph. D Scholar, Division of Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, ICAR National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India Effect of uterine infection on milk production and reproductive performance in dairy animals - A review Bilal Ahmad Ganaie, Faheem Sultan, Susheel Kumar, Prajwalita Pathak and Vivek Nayak Abstract A healthy uterine environment is believed to be the main determinant of good fertility as any sort of insult to endometrium can disrupt the normal reproductive functions leading to infertility. The development of uterine infection is governed by the immune status and execution of the same against the infectious agents, bacterial load/ number and its virulence. Post-partum uterine infection results in persistent inflammatory responses in the endometrium and subsequent infertility. Uterine infection may delay the time of uterine involution, compromises ovarian follicular growth, luteal dysfunction by altering the luteal cell activity, postpartum resumption of ovarian activity, number of services per conception, number of days open and subsequently prolongs the inter-calving interval. Further at the hypothalamic and pituitary level, the estradiol-induced preovulatory LH surge is blunted with intravenous infusion of bacterial endotoxin or administration into the uterus. Uterine infection incurs a huge economic loss to the dairy farmers. Uterine infection not only affects milk production but also have a negative impact on the ovarian follicular development and steroid production, expression of estrus and ultimately the conception rate. Keeping in view all the above-mentioned facts, the following review will try to enlight the impact of uterine infection on milk production and reproductive performance in dairy animals. Keywords: infertility, uterine infection, endometrium, ovary Introduction In dairy animals the uterus is thought to be apparently sterile or at least clear of pathogens for the most part of reproductive cycle, still the uterus is readily contaminated with microbes during coitus and around the time of parturition [1] . Uterine bacterial contamination is a dynamic condition wherein dairy animals have regular contamination of uterine lumen with a wide spectrum of microorganisms during the early postpartum period, clearance of same and spontaneous re-contamination rather than just a contamination. During first few weeks of parturition, uterine lumen supports the growth of a variety of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria which affect about 80 to 100 percent of dairy cattle [2]. Although immune responses progressively eliminate the microbes, still 40 percent of animals fail to clear the uterus off the bacterial infection even after 3 weeks following calving resulting in a persistent inflammatory response of the endometrium and are often infertile [1,3] . Following parturition bacterial infection of the uterus causes endometritis and infertility in cattle [4] . Uterine infection reduces the rate of uterine involution and ovarian follicular development during the early postpartum, which may prolong the interval from calving to estrus and artificial insemination (AI) [5]. It has been reported that dairy cows that were having endometritis had a decline in conception rate by a factor of 20, median calving to conception interval longer by 30 days and 3 percent more animals were culled than their normal counterparts. In India, the most common reproductive tract infection in the buffalo has been observed through coitus by communal/local bulls used for breeding purposes, [6] apart from inflammation of endometrium occurring during estrus, AI or in postpartum period [7] . Cows that were having dystocia, retained placenta, twins or stillbirths, and various other metabolic disorders are more likely to develop metritis than their counterparts. Aberrant immune function before and after calving seems to predispose cows to severe uterine infections. Although only a few cows use to die from uterine infections but are more likely to be culled for poor reproductive performance [8]. In India, it has been reported that about 18-40 percent of cattle and buffaloes are culled mainly due to infertility [6]. Dairy cows with endometritis are 1.7 times more likely to be culled for reproductive failure than those without endometritis [9] . The estimated financial losses in the European Union due to postpartum uterine infections vary between €160 and €420 per animal [10] .