Antemortem and postmortem examination of the genital tract of dairy cows in South Vietnam

Abstract

A total of 507 culled crossbred Holstein x Lai Sind dairy cows aged 8.5 years on average were examined antemortem (age determination by teeth, body condition scoring, vaginal examination via speculum) and postmortem (ultrasound examination of ovaries,  examination  of  uterine  content).  Nearly  half of them (44.4%) had a body condition score lower than 2.5. The prevalences of pneumovagina and urovagina were 33.1 and 14.7%, respectively. The age and body condition score had a significant effect on the prevalence of these diseases. The prevalences of abnormal vaginal discharges and uterine content were 12.1 and 5.4%, respectively.  Among the 507 cows examined, 226 (44.6%) were in anestrus. The prevalence of anestrus associated with pregnancy was 4.9%. The prevalences of functional pathological anestrus (types 0, I and II), of anestrus associated with cyst, and with pyometra were 37.3, 2, and 0.4%, respectively. Anestrus types 0 and I have been more often observed in cows with low body condition scores and in those under six years old.