AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION CENTRE www.arccjournals.com/www.ijaronline.in *Corresponding author’s e-mail: drusarkar@gmail.com. Indian J. Anim. Res., 50 (4) 2016 : 557-560 Print ISSN:0367-6722 / Online ISSN:0976-0555 Prevalence of uterine infection in relation to certain haematological and biochemical changes of blood serum in dairy cows B. Sarkar, K. Ray and U. Sarkar* Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata-700 037, West Bengal, India. Received: 14-01-2015 Accepted: 01-06-2015 DOI:10.18805/ijar.9419 ABSTRACT In the present study, blood samples of 79 cows with different uterine infections (pyometra, endometritis, cervicitis and abortion) and 41 normal cows of non-descripts and crossbreds were collected to study the prevalence of uterine infection in relation to haematological as well as biochemical changes in blood serum. In uterine infections, major infection remained endometritis which was recorded as highest (34.16%) followed by pyometra (18.33%), cervicitis (10.00%) and abortion (3.33%). Haematological study revealed a significant decrease in haemoglobin and total erythrocyte count while a significant increase in total leukocyte count in animals with uterine infection as compared to the control group. Biochemical study revealed that there was a severe decrease in serum glucose and serum cholesterol level in uterine infected cows in comparison to healthy cows. It was concluded that infection in the body, nature of the causative agents, and resistance of animal and localization of inflammatory response might be possible causes of lower biochemical parameters and haematological parameters except total leukocyte count in uterine infected cows. Key words: Biochemical test, cholesterol, Glucose, Haematological test, Uterine infection. INTRODUCTION Uterine infection (i.e., pyometra, endometritis, abortion and cervicitis) can have a major economic impact on dairy production. It tends to increase the service period followed by calving interval of the dairy cows. Cows become non-reproductive due to uterine or oviductal damage and may increase culling rates of dairy herds, resulting in huge economic loss of dairy farms. Uterine bacterial infection, bacterial products or the associated inflammation suppress pituitary LH secretion and perturb postpartum ovarian follicular growth and function, which disrupts ovulation in dairy cattle (Sheldon et al., 2006). Thus, uterine disease is associated with lower conception rate, increased intervals from calving to first service or conception, and more cattle culled for failure to conceive (Huszenicza et al., 1999; LeBlanc et al., 2002). Maximizing reproductive efficiency is the goal of reproductive management programs in dairy herds. Infection and subsequent inflammation of the bovine uterus compromise uterine health and contribute to decreased reproductive efficiency in dairy cows (Coleman et al., 1985; Fourichon et al., 2000). During the postpartum period, the uterine environment is dynamic with tissue involution, and infectious and inflammatory processes occurring simultaneously (Chapwanya et al., 2009; Williams et al., 2005). Most cows experience a bacterial influx postpartum, which can result in excessive inflammation. The establishment and persistence of the uterine infection are dependent, among others, on the individual defense mechanisms of the cows (Hussain, 1989). The most common cause of uterine infection is the pathogenic microorganisms affecting productivity and fertility of cows (Lewis, 1997; Bondurant, 1999). Pathogenic organisms isolated from an infected uterus are found generally in livestock environment and are capable of infecting other tissues and organs (Griffin et al., 1974). Keeping the above views in mind, the present study was conducted to evaluate the haematological and biochemical profiles in normal and uterine infected dairy animals and investigate the relationship between these profiles with two groups of dairy animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study was conducted in three districts (Nadia, West Midnapur and Murshidabad) of West Bengal and a Slaughter House at Tangra, Kolkata. Forty one apparently healthy cows without uterine infection (Control group) and seventy nine cows with uterine infection (Experimental group) were selected for this study. The investigator personally visited at Block Animal Health Centre and Additional Block Animal Health Centre of the selected districts of West Bengal and Tangra Slaughter house and collected the information on reproductive disorders of post parturient cows from January to August, 2013. Information in this study were recorded by face to face interviewing the owner and from the routine clinical case register of Animal Health Centre. Clinical examination was also done to identify any abnormalities of cows in presence of Veterinary Officer of the Animal Health Centre.