Relationship between Incidence of Endometritis and Metabolic Status during Peri- and Postpartum Periods in Dairy Cows

젖소의 자궁내막염 발생과 분만 전·후 대사 상태와의 상관관계

This study compared blood metabolites during peri- and postpartum periods among cows with clinical or subclinical endometritis and cows without endometritis. Blood samples from 207 Holstein dairy cows were collected at 4 weeks prepartum, just after calving, and at 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks postpartum to measure serum concentrations of calcium, magnesium, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), total cholesterol, albumin, urea nitrogen, ${\beta}$-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ${\gamma}$-glutamyltransferase, glucose, and phosphorus. Clinical endometritis was diagnosed by the observation of vaginal discharge (> 50% pus) and subclinical endometritis was diagnosed by the evaluation of uterine cytology (> 18% neutrophils) at 4 weeks postpartum. Cows were divided into three groups based on the presence or absence of clinical or subclinical endometritis: the control group (n = 104), the clinical endometritis group (n = 66), and the subclinical endometritis group (n = 37). Calcium and magnesium concentrations were lower in the clinical endometritis group than in the control and subclinical endometritis groups throughout the study period (p < 0.05 to 0.0001), whereas the NEFAs concentration was higher in the clinical endometritis group than in the control group throughout the study period (p < 0.01). The total cholesterol concentration was lower in the clinical endometritis group than in the control and subclinical endometritis groups throughout the pre- and postpartum periods (p < 0.05 to 0.001). The albumin concentration was lower in the clinical endometritis group than in the control and subclinical endometritis groups during the postpartum period (p < 0.05 to 0.001). The urea nitrogen concentration was lower in the clinical endometritis group than in the control and subclinical endometritis groups at 4 and 6 weeks postpartum (p < 0.01). At 1 week postpartum, the BHBA concentration was higher in the clinical endometritis group than in the control group (p < 0.05), whereas the AST concentration was higher in the clinical endometritis and subclinical endometritis groups than in the control group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, lower serum concentrations of calcium, magnesium, total cholesterol, albumin, and urea nitrogen, but higher concentrations of NEFAs, BHBA, and AST during the postpartum period were associated with the incidence of clinical endometritis, indicating the importance of balanced nutrition during the transition period.

본 연구는 임상형 혹은 준임상형 자궁내막염에 이환된 젖소와 자궁내막염이 발생되지 않은 젖소 사이에 분만 전 후 기간 동안 혈액 대사물질의 농도를 비교하였다. 분만 전 4주, 분만 후, 분만 1, 2, 4, 6주 후 혈액을 채취하였으며, 혈청 분리 후 calcium, magnesium, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), total cholesterol, albumin, urea nitrogen, ${\beta}$-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ${\gamma}$-glutamyltransferase, glucose 및 phosphorus 농도를 측정하였다. 분만 후 4주에, 임상형 혹은 준임상형 자궁내막염 발생 유무에 따라 대조군(n = 104), 임상형 자궁내막염군(n = 66) 및 준임상형 자궁내막염군(n = 37)으로 구분하였다. Calcium과 magnesium 농도는 실험 전 기간에 걸쳐 임상형 자궁내막염군이 대조군과 준임상형 자궁내막염군에 비해 낮았으나(p < 0.05 to 0.0001), NEFAs 농도는 실험전 기간에 걸쳐 임상형 자궁내막염군이 대조군에 비해 높았다(p < 0.01). Total cholesterol 농도는 분만 전 및 분만 후 기간 중 임상형 자궁내막염군이 대조군과 준임상형 자궁내막염군에 비해 낮았다(p < 0.05 to 0.001). Albumin 농도는 분만 후 기간 동안 임상형 자궁내막염군이 대조군과 준임상형 자궁내막염군에 비해 낮았다(p < 0.05 to 0.001). Urea nitrogen 농도는 분만 후 4주 및 6주에 임상형 자궁내막염군이 대조군과 준임상형 자궁내막염군에 비해 낮았다(p < 0.01). 분만 후 1주에, BHBA 농도는 임상형 자궁내막염군이 대조군에 비해 높았으나(p < 0.01), AST 농도는 임상형 자궁내막염군과 준임상형 자궁내막염군이 대조군에 비해 높았다(p < 0.05). 결론적으로, 분만 후 혈청 calcium, magnesium, total cholesterol, albumin 및 urea nitrogen 농도의 감소와 NEFAs, BHBA 및 AST 농도의 증가가 임상형 자궁내막염의 발생과 관련되었으며, 이것은 전환기 중의 균형 잡힌 영양의 중요성을 제시한다.