Activities of alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, and concentrations of serum metabolites [beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA)] of primiparous (n = 83) and multiparous (n = 213) Holstein cows were studied as possible predictors of retained fetal membranes (RFM), grade 2 clinical metritis (CM) and clinical endometritis (CEM). A logistic regression model was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) for the prevalence of CM diagnosed between 0-5, 6-10 and 11-20 days in milk (DIM) and for the prevalence of CEM diagnosed between 22-28 and 42-49 DIM. The activities of the examined serum enzymes did not show significant associations either with CM or with CEM. For NEFA sampled on days 0 and 5, an OR of 2.38 for CM 0-20 DIM and an OR of 2.58 for CM 11-20 DIM was found. For BHB sampled on days 0 and 5, an OR of 8.20 for CEM 22-28 and 42-49 DIM and an OR of 1.98 for CM 6-10 DIM were found. The prevalence of RFM was higher in ≥ 4 parity cows compared to primiparous cows (46.3% vs. 26.5%). BHB and NEFA levels measured between 0 and 5 DIM could have a predictive ability for postpartum uterine disorders such as RFM, CM and CEM.
Keywords: BHB; Dairy cow; NEFA; clinical (endo)metritis; negative energy balance.