A review of applications and scope of intrauterine proteolytic enzymes therapy for treatment of uterine infections in dairy animals

Abstract

The target of one calf crop per year in dairy cattle and in 13-14 months in dairy buffaloes could be achieved only when an animal normally calves, completes uterine involution timely with initiation of post-partum ovarian activity. But, the postpartum uterine infections pose a great hurdle in the achievement of this target due to the economic losses owe to cost of treatment, disturbed calving to conception period and therefore the prolonged inter-calving interval. Various types of antimicrobials are used for the treatment of uterine infections in dairy animals which results in its withdrawal in milk and ultimately leading to arising of antimicrobial resistance in dairy animals as well as in human beings the ultimate consumers of dairy products. Therefore, research is on-going throughout the world to have alternative therapies to antimicrobials with aim to reduce the veterinarian cost as well as antimicrobial resistance. Many alternative therapies like immune-modulators, metritis vaccines, bacteriophage therapy, ozone therapy, interleukins etc. have been tried with variable success throughout the world. Intrauterine proteolytic enzymes therapy is one of the alternative therapies that our lab is mainly focussing for prevention and therapeutics of the various grades of uterine infections. This review shall focus on mechanism of action of proteolytic enzymes, their efficacy for prevention and therapeutics of uterine infections of different grades as well as the future perspectives related to this therapy.