Gyneco-clinical and microbiological characteristics of cervical mucus in repeat breeder crossbred cows following ceftiofur therapy

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate gyneco-clinical and microbiological attributes of cervical mucus following treatment of repeat breeder crossbred cows (HF×K) with ceftiofur crystalline free acid @ 6.6 mg/kg body weight administer separately in two groups of cows through intramuscular (Group-I) and subcutaneous route (Group-II). Each group included 15 repeat breeder cows whose selection was random and based on history of conception failure, gyneco-clinical observation of genitalia and number of artificial insemination per conception. The findings envisaged that the oestrus duration, tonicity of uterus and number of artificial insemination were derailed from normalcy but post-therapeutic characteristics of all these traits improved in repeat breeder cows and resembled to normal cyclic cows. The bacterial load of cervical mucus of repeat breeder cows (3.1×108±0.65×108, Group-I and 3.6×108±0.72×108, Group-II) was significantly higher than normal cows (2.1×103, Group-III) which, however, decreased significantly at post-treatment oestrus in both groups of repeat breeders. E. coli, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella, Anthracoid and Streptococcus spp. were isolated from cervical mucus of pre-treatment groups of repeat breeders. Although, prevalence of microorganism varied but E. coli was predominant followed by Staphylococcus spp. However, all of them disappeared from post-treatment cervical mucus of repeater cows. It is concluded from the finding that ceftiofur therapy of repeat breeder cows was beneficial to restore normalcy of oestrus duration, doughy tonicity of uterus and reduction in total bacterial load in uterus.