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Professor Gerhard Sand (1861–1921) was the first professor of veterinary obstetrics at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, Denmark. He began teaching the theory and practice of obstetrics to veterinary students in 1887 and spent the following years until his death in 1921 developing the veterinary obstetrics teaching program. During this period, veterinary obstetrics was established as an independent discipline at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University. Professor Sand’s teaching had a major impact on the field of veterinary obstetrics in Scandinavia. He was devoted to teaching veterinary obstetrics and produced a number of obstetrical illustrations, some of which showed different causes of dystocia, mainly fetal malpresentation in cattle and horses. Professor Sand created the illustrations with the intention of publishing a handbook of obstetrics, but due to illness and an early death, this work was never completed. This compilation of historical artworks of dystocia in cattle and horses includes some of these illustrations and is published to honour Professor Sand, with the intention of making his illustrations widely available for the teaching of veterinary obstetrics.

The aim of this retrospective study was to compare simple linear regression and mixed linear regression on data grouped by breed or maternal weight group. The comparison was done to find the most accurate model for predicting day of parturition in pregnant bitches in clinical practice. The retrospective data consisted of fetal biparietal diameter determined by ultrasonography and day of parturition for all included bitches. The study population was divided into five maternal weight groups (miniature (≤5 kg), small (>5 to 10 kg), medium (>10 to 25 kg), large (>25 to 40 kg), and giant (>40 kg)) with three breeds in each group with 26 miniature-breed bitches, 13 small-breed bitches, 19 medium-breed bitches, 22 large-breed bitches, and 20 giant-breed bitches. The data was used to develop models to determine the number of days before parturition based on fetal biparietal diameter. A statistically significant effect was seen for grouping by maternal weight group (p<0.0001) and by breed (p=0.0057). Breed-specific models were derived and compared to each other within the same maternal weight group. Statistically significant differences between some miniature-breed and small-breed bitches were found using mixed linear regression analysis. The accuracies of all models were given as number of births within ±1 and ±2 days of estimated day of parturition and compared to an acceptable limit of 80% at ±2 days. All breeds and maternal weight groups except Dogue de Bordeaux and giant-breed bitches met the limit. Poor accuracies were seen when applying data from each breed to the maternal weight grouped model. Simple linear regression analyses were compared to mixed linear regression analyses. The simple linear regression analyses obtained the best accuracies for most of the breeds which is most likely to be caused by overestimation. Comparison of Chihuahua and German Shepherd to other studies showed similar accuracies between the highest reported and the two linear

Background: Loss of pregnancy in mares can have many different causes, including both infectious and non-infectious conditions. Extrapolation of findings from other studies is often uncertain as the significance of each cause varies across regions. Causes of pregnancy loss in mares have never been thoroughly studied in Denmark, so a prospective cross-sectional cohort study targeting the entire Danish population of pregnant mares was performed over a period of 13 months to obtain knowledge of the significance of individual causes. Fifty aborted or prematurely delivered stillborn fetuses were submitted for necropsy and examined by a panel of diagnostic laboratory methods. Results: Overall, a cause of fetal loss was established for 72% of the examined cases. Most cases (62%) were lost due to a non-infectious cause, of which obstruction of the feto-placental blood circulation due to severe torsion of the umbilical cord was most prevalent. Pregnancy loss due to a variety of opportunistic bacteria, including bacteria not previously associated with abortion in mares, accounted for 12%, while equid alphaherpesvirus (EHV) type 1 was the cause of pregnancy loss in 8% of the cases. EHV type 4 and Chlamydiaceae species were identified in some cases, but not regarded as the cause of fetal loss. Conclusion: Umbilical cord torsion was found to be the most prevalent cause of fetal loss in Danish mares, while infectious causes such as EHV type 1 and streptococci only accounted for a minor proportion of the losses. The study highlights the need for defined criteria for establishing an abortion diagnosis in mares, particularly in relation to EHV types 1 and 4.

Early recognition of excessive inflammation and infectious complications related to the peripartum period, leading to early institution of therapy, reduces postpartum discomfort and facilitates recovery. Because serum amyloid A (SAA) is a highly sensitive marker of inflammation, measurements of SAA and other inflammatory markers in postpartum mares may be valuable in assisting clinical assessment of periparturient complications. We hypothesized that mares with peripartum complications substantially altered inflammatory responses compared to normal postpartum mares. Aims were to: 1) determine if inflammatory markers (serum amyloid A (SAA), fibrinogen, white blood cell count (WBC), and iron are affected by normal parturition; and 2) investigate if parturition-related complications affect concentrations of WBC, SAA, fibrinogen, and iron. A retrospective case-control study included 118 postpartum mares, 72 clinically healthy (CH) mares accompanying sick foals and 46 mares with periparturient complications (PC) admitted to the University of Copenhagen Large Animal Teaching Hospital from 2008 - 2017. Periparturient complications were divided into 3 groups: metritis (n = 9), dystocia (n = 13) and others (n =24). A multivariate linear regression analysis evaluated the effects of health status of mare (CH or PC), time after foaling (Day PP) and individual mare on blood parameters. Independent-samples Student’s t test analyzed differences in inflammatory parameters between CH and PC mares at different days after foaling. CH mares had SAA, WBC, and iron concentrations within reference intervals for first week postpartum (PP). Mean fibrinogen concentrations increased above upper reference limit in both CH and PC mares during the first week PP, but PC mares had higher (p < 0.05) concentrations compared to CH mares. Health status of mares had substantial influence on concentrations of SAA (p < 0.0001), fibrinogen (p < 0.0001), and iron (p = 0.009), and day PP had

Unwanted behaviour in mares is a commonly presenting problem to the veterinarian. This behaviour may range from the mare being uncooperative or aggressive when handled on the ground, kicking, bucking or rearing when ridden or being aggressive towards other horses. This purpose of the study was to evaluate whether bilateral ovariectomy in mares with unwanted behaviour improved the mare’s behaviour and/or rideability from the owner’s perspective. The mares were grouped and compared statistically based on their histological classification as having either “normal” or neoplastic ovaries. This study is a retrospective case series report of twenty-eight ovariectomized mares. A semi-quantitative value (1–10) pre- and post-ovariectomy for A) behaviour on ground/in stable and B) rideability was given, based on the owner’s observations. The horses were grouped based on their histopathologic diagnosis as “Normal ovaries” or “Neoplasia”. Following ovariectomy, rideability improved, with a score of ≥5 in 80% (8/10) of mares with normal ovaries and in 57% (8/14) of mares with ovarian neoplasm. A behavioural improvement of ≥5 was observed in 40% (4/10) of mares with normal ovaries, and in 43% (6/14) of mares with ovarian neoplasm. A significant difference was observed between the semi-quantitative value pre- and post-ovariectomy in both groups. No difference was observed in change in behaviour and rideability score between the group with normal ovaries and neoplastic ovaries. Mares with unwanted behaviour not obviously related to the oestrus cycle and to painful conditions may benefit from ovariectomy to alter their behaviour and rideability.

This paper explores ethical issues raised by the application of non-surgical, pharmaceutical fertility control to manage reproductive behaviors in domesticated and wild animal species. We focus on methods that interfere with the effects of GnRH, making animals infertile and significantly suppressing sexual behavior in both sexes. The paper is anchored by considering ethical issues raised by four diverse cases: the use of pharmaceutical fertility control in (a) male slaughter pigs, (b) domesticated stallions and mares, (c) male companion dogs and (d) female white-tailed deer. Ethical concerns explored include animals’ welfare, the possible violation of animals’ rights, including rights to life, reproduction and bodily integrity; and potential concerns about loss of wildness. We compare ethical concerns about pharmaceutical fertility control with alternative strategies for managing animals’ reproductive behavior including (where appropriate) spaying and neutering, sex separation, sex sorting, culling, and doing nothing. The paper concludes that there are some cases where pharmaceutical fertility control is the best ethical choice in current circumstances; but that there are other cases where alternative choices, including doing nothing, would be ethically preferable. This suggests that in ethical terms a case-by-case approach should be taken to the use of pharmaceutical fertility control in animals.

Background While fungal infections of the bovine uterus are well-known diseases in pregnant cattle, very limited knowledge exists on the presence and significance of fungi in the uterus of non-pregnant cows. Presence of fungi in the uterine lumen of postpartum (pp) cows has been reported, but little attention has been paid to this as most studies of the bovine pp uterus have focused on bacteria. Case presentation Microscopy of uterine lavage cytology slides of three cows from one herd revealed the presence of numerous yeast-like organisms, which were located either free in the fluid or within macrophages. Two of the cows were around 30 days pp, while the third was 7 months pp. None of the cows had been treated with antibiotics. Culturing of the flush samples was unsuccessful, but Sanger sequencing of DNA extracted from an endometrial biopsy of one of the cows revealed the presence of Candida kefyr (Kluyveromyces marxianus). Fluorescence in situ hybridization examination of endometrial tissue sections of two cows using probes targeting 18S rRNA of the K. marxianus group was performed and revealed the presence of yeast cells on the endometrium. Histology was performed and demonstrated hyphal and non-hyphal yeast-like organisms on the surface of endometrium and in the crypts. Tissue invasion was restricted to the superficial part of the epithelium and although endometrial inflammation was present, this was mild and considered as not being caused by the fungi. One of the cows became pregnant and delivered a normal calf at term, while the two others were not bred. Conclusions Candida kefyr is commonly isolated from milk of cows with mastitis, but has not been reported in association with other diseases of cattle. The infection was present as a monoculture in all three cows, but the fungi had only colonized the uterine lumen and the endometrial surface. Only a mild non-suppurative endometrial inflammation was present, but within the uterine l

Knowledge of congenital malformations and their causes in horses is generally sparse. Such conditions require more scientific attention to improve their diagnostics and inform prevention strategies. Here, a unique syndrome of bilateral oblique facial clefts (meloschisis), rudimentary eyes and hydrocephalus is reported in an equine foetus spontaneously aborted at gestation day 224. The cause of abortion was considered to be intrauterine death caused by umbilical cord torsions and subsequent compromised blood flow, but the aetiology of the malformation could not be determined. A detailed history, which includes exposure to a range of pharmaceutical compounds during the early stages of pregnancy, is provided and emphasizes the need for accurate recording of treatments in pregnant animals.

Pyometra is a common disease of cattle that causes infertility and thereby financial losses to the cattle industry. Bacteria involved in the development and progression of pyometra have been investigated by microbial culture but their tissue invading abilities, which is an important aspect of bacterial pathogenicity and development of lesions, have not been investigated. Bacterial invasion of the uterus and oviducts was studied in 21 cows diagnosed with pyometra at the time of slaughter by applying fluorescence in situ hybridization using probes targeting 16S ribosomal RNA of Fusobacterium necrophorum, Porphyromonas levii, Trueperella pyogenes and the overall bacterial domain Bacteria. Fusobacterium necrophorum and P. levii were found to invade the endometrium, especially if the endometrium was ulcerated, and penetrated deep into the lamina propria. These species co-localized within the tissue thus indicating a synergism. Trueperella pyogenes did not invade the uterine tissue. In addition to endometrial lesions, most cows with pyometra also had salpingitis but without significant bacterial invasion of the oviductal wall.

The aim of this study was to investigate bacterial invasiveness of the bovine endometrium during the postpartum period. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was applied to endometrial biopsies using probes for Fusobacterium necrophorum, Porphyromonas levii, Trueperella pyogenes, Escherichia coli and a probe for bacteria in general (the overall domain Bacteria) to determine their tissue localization. Holstein cows were sampled at three time points postpartum (T1: 4–12 days postpartum, T2: 24–32 days postpartum and T3: 46–54 days postpartum). At T1, cows were clinically scored as having a uterine infection based on presence of a brownish, fetid vaginal discharge or as normal if having normal lochia. An endometrial biopsy was taken from all cows at T1 (n = 57). Endometrial biopsies were taken from the same cows at T2 and T3 if allowed by the size of the cervical canal and if the cow had not been inseminated. Fifty and 39 biopsies were obtained at T2 and T3, respectively. The biopsies were evaluated for inflammation and for presence and localization of bacteria. When analyzed by the probe for the entire domain Bacteria, bacteria were found in most biopsies irrespectively of time (T1: 79.0%, T2: 82.0%, T3: 89.7%). Fusobacterium necrophorum and Porphyromonas levii were often present in the endometrium at T1 (61.1% and 47.8%, respectively), but the prevalence decreased significantly over time. Trueperella pyogenes and Escherichia coli were less prevalent at T1 (8.8% and 10.5%, respectively) and their prevalence also decreased significantly over time. Fusobacterium necrophorum and Porphyromonas levii were often co-localized intraepithelially or in the lamina propria. Trueperella pyogenes and Escherichia coli were located only on the endometrial surface. Due to the high prevalence of tissue invasiveness, these findings emphasize the importance of Fusobacterium necrophorum and Porphyromonas levii in postpartum uterine disease of cattle and indicate that tissue invasiveness is a

Background. While fungal infections of the bovine uterus are well-known diseases in pregnant cattle, very limited knowledge exists on the presence and significance of fungi in the uterus of non-pregnant cows. Presence of fungi in the uterine lumen of postpartum (pp) cows has been reported, but little attention has been paid to this as most studies of the bovine pp uterus have focused on bacteria. Case presentation. Microscopy of uterine lavage cytology slides of three cows from one herd revealed the presence of numerous yeast-like organisms, which were located either free in the fluid or within macrophages. Two of the cows were around 30 days pp, while the third was 7 months pp. None of the cows had been treated with antibiotics. Culturing of the flush samples was unsuccessful, but Sanger sequencing of DNA extracted from an endometrial biopsy of one of the cows revealed the presence of Candida kefyr (Kluyveromyces marxianus). Fluorescence in situ hybridization examination of endometrial tissue sections of two cows using probes targeting 18S rRNA of the K. marxianus group was performed and revealed the presence of yeast cells on the endometrium. Histology was performed and demonstrated hyphal and non-hyphal yeast-like organisms on the surface of endometrium and in the crypts. Tissue invasion was restricted to the superficial part of the epithelium and although endometrial inflammation was present, this was mild and considered as not being caused by the fungi. One of the cows became pregnant and delivered a normal calf at term, while the two others were not bred. Conclusions. Candida kefyr is commonly isolated from milk of cows with mastitis, but has not been reported in association with other diseases of cattle. The infection was present as a monoculture in all three cows, but the fungi had only colonized the uterine lumen and the endometrial surface. Only a mild non-suppurative endometrial inflammation was present, but within the uterine luminal

Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus is one of the most commonly isolated pathogens from the uterus of mares with infectious endometritis. Its ability to cause chronic latent infection by residing deep within the endometrial tissue has previously been described. The aim of the study was to investigate whether clonal or genetically distinct S. zooepidemicus strains isolated from mares with endometritis were associated with mare risk factors and the outcome of natural cover. Uterine swabs were obtained from mares with intrauterine fluid after natural cover (n=31) at thoroughbred stud farms in Australia. Fifty two percent of the mares (n=16) were diagnosed with infectious endometritis, and S.zooepidemicus was isolated in 81% (n=13) of these mares. Up to four S. zooepidemicus isolates were selected from each mare with growth of S. zooepidemicus and isolates from an additional five mares were further characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). In total S. zooepidemicus isolates from 18 mares were analyzed. The isolates from 13 mares showed a high genetic relatedness within each individual mare, whereas two genetically distinct strains were isolated in five mares. A clonal S. zooepidemicus infection was associated with increased age, high parity and poor vulvar conformation. Mares with clonal infection had a low pregnancy rate (38%) compared with mares with two strains isolated (80%). In conclusion, the results indicate that clonal S. zooepidemicus endometritis is associated with increased age, parity and poor vulvar conformation in brood mares. Further studies investigating the host-pathogen interaction in clonal S. zooepidemicus endometritis are needed to support these preliminary results.

The bacteria present in the uterus during pyometra have previously been studied using bacteriological culturing. These studies identified Fusobacterium necrophorum and Trueperella pyogenes as the major contributors to the pathogenesis of pyometra. However, an increasing number of culture-independent studies have demonstrated that the bacterial diversity in most environments is underestimated in culture-based studies. Consequently, fastidious pyometra-associated pathogens may have been overlooked. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to investigate the diversity of bacteria in the uterus of cows with pyometra by using culture-independent 16S rRNA PCR combined with next generation sequencing. We investigated the microbial composition in the uterus of 21 cows with pyometra, which were obtained from a Danish slaughterhouse. Similar to the observations from the culture studies, Fusobacteriaceae, the family that F. necrophorum belongs to, was the operational taxonomic unit (OTU) observed in the largest quantities. By contrast, the Actinomycetaceae family, which includes T. pyogenes, constituted only 1% of the total number of reads. Thus we cannot confirm the previously reported role of species from this family in the pathogenesis of pyometra. Finally, we identified a large number of sequences representing three families of Gram-negative bacteria in the pyometra samples: Porphyromonadaceae, Mycoplasmataceae, and Pasteurellaceae. It is likely that these families comprise potential pathogenic species of a fastidious nature, which have been overlooked in previous studies. Our results increase the knowledge of the complexity of the pyometra microbiota and suggest that pathogens in addition to F. necrophorum may be involved in the pathogenesis of pyometra. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstrakt Resultaterne af et embryotransfer-program blev præsenteret og de grundlæggende komponenter analyseret og sammenlignet med offentliggjorte resultater. Identifikation af væsentlige faktorer, som har mulig indflydelse på drægtighedsudfald, kunne forbedre resultaterne i embryotransfer-programmer for heste. Drægtighedsudfald for ældre donorhopperne er lavere end for yngre donorhopper, og faktorer af betydning for drægtighedsudfaldet som embryonet og recipienten skal undersøges. Forbedring af udvælgelsen af recipienthopper kan påvirke drægtighedsudfald og er relateret til faktorer, der kunne undersøges, som synkroni af overforsel af embryoner, og påvirkninger på vedligeholdelse af drægtigheden. Formålet med den foreliggende undersøgelse var at undersøge forskellige faktorer, der påvirker drægtighedsudfald for ældre hopper relateret til embryoner og recipienten. I den foreliggende undersøgelse blev 181 friske embryoner fra 76 donorhopper i alderen 2 til 25 år indsamlede 8-9 dage efter donorovulation. Klassificering af udviklingstatus og kvalitetsklasse blev udført for indsamlede embryoner i henhold til IETS (International Embryo Transfer Society). Recipienthopper i alderen 4 til 15 år var af forskellige varmblodsracer. Uterin og luteal status blev undersøgt i recipientudvælgelsen og antallet dage mellem recipientovulation og transfer varierede fra 2 til 7 dage. Recipienthopperne blev undersøgt for drægtighed på dag 18 efter ovulation. Den samlede drægtighedsudfald på dag 18 var 74% (134 af 181), i overensstemmelse med, eller bedre end offentliggjorte resultater (Squires et al., 1999). De to statistisk signifikante fakta med indflydelse på drægtighedsudfald var embryonets kvalitetsklasse (P = 0,008), og antallet af recipientovulationer (P = 0,047). Donoralder havde ringe indflydelse på drægtighedsudfald efter transfer af embryonet til en recipient, og der var ingen signifikant påvirkning af donoralder på embryonets kvalitetsklasse. Embryoner u, The results of an embryo transfer program were presented and the basic components analysed and compared with published results. The identification of significant factors that possible influence the pregnancy outcome, could improve the results in equine embryo transfer programs. The pregnancy outcome for older donor mares is lower than for younger donor mares and factors with influence on the pregnancy outcome as the embryo and the recipient need to be investigated. Improving the selection of recipient mares could influence the pregnancy outcome and is related to factors that could be investigated as synchrony of the transfer of the embryo and influences on the maintenance of the pregnancy. The purpose of the present study was to investigate different factors influencing the pregnancy outcome for older mares related to the embryo and the recipient. In the present study 181 fresh embryos from 76 donor mares aged 2 to 25 years were recovered 8-9 days after donor ovulation. Classification of development status and quality grading was performed for recovered embryos according to IETS (International Embryo Transfer Society). Recipient mares aged 4 to 15 years were of different warmblood breeds. Uterine and luteal status were examined in the recipient selection and the number of days between recipient ovulation and the transfer ranged from 2 to 7 days. The recipient mares were examined for pregnancy on day 18 after ovulation. The overall pregnancy outcome on day 18 was 74% (134 of 181), in line with, or better than published results (Squires et al., 1999). The two statistically significant facts with influence on the pregnancy outcome were embryo quality grade (P = 0.008) and the number of recipient ovulations (P = 0,047). Donor age had little influence on the pregnancy outcome after transfer of the embryo to a recipient, and there was no significant influence of donor age on the embryo quality grading. Embryos without defects (excellent/ goo

The aim of this project was to investigate if breeder monitoring of the equine neonate and the postpartum mare in the critical time of foaling can help prevent early postpartum disease and death through early detection of the critically ill foal and mare.

Formålet med dette studie var at sammenligne endometrieprøver udtaget ved to forskellige parrede metoder, uterin biopsi og svaber, med henblik på diagnosticering af endometritis. For at nedbringe risikoen for kontaminering blev prøver udtaget fra slagteriorganer af 52 danske malkekvæg uden selektion for patologiske forandringer eller drægtigheder. For hver metode blev prøverne udsået på blodagar i petriskåle og undersøgt mikrobiologisk. Ligeledes blev der fremstillet farvede cytologipræparater for hver metode til optælling af polymorfkernede neutrofile granulocytter (PMN). Et cytologisk præparat blev vurderet positivt ved >5,5 % PMNs. På baggrund af disse undersøgelser fandtes metoderne svaber og biopsi ikke signifikant forskellige for cytologi (p=0,78) og bakteriologi (p=0,83) ved brug af Fishers eksakt test. Ved sammenligning af bakteriologi- og cytologiresultater sås ligeledes ingen signifikant forskel for svaber (p=0,45) og for biopsi (p=0,21) ved Fishers eksakt test. Dog påvistes der ingen signifikant sammenhæng mellem bakteriologi -og cytologi for prøver udtaget med biopsimetoden ved brug af McNemars test. Ud fra sammenligningsresultaterne alene er det ikke muligt klarlægge, hvilken metode der er mest effektiv til diagnostisk af endometritis., The objective of the present study was to compare two uterine sampling methods for diagnosing endometritis in dairy cows, the methods being uterine biopsy and uterine swab respectively. In order to reduce the risk of contamination, the sampels were taken post mortem from organs of 52 Danish dairy cows in a slaughterhouse including organs with pathological changes or pregnancies. For each method, the samples were smeared on the surface of blood agar petri dishes and characterized microbiologically. Stained cytology samples obtained from both swabs and biopsies were used to detect the amount of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs). A cytological preparation was characterized as positive if > 5.5% PMNs. Based upon the present study, the uterine swab and uterine biopsy were not significantly different in order of cytology (p = 0.78) and bacteriology (p = 0.83) using Fisher's exact test. No significant difference was detected when comparing bacteriology and cytology for the swab (p = 0.45) and for the biopsy (p=0.21) using Fisher’s exact test. However, the relationship between bacteriology and cytology of samples taken by biopsy method were detected not signifikant by McNemars test. Based upon the obtained results, it is not possible to conclude which method to be the most effective in order to diagnose endometritis.

Recent years’ advance in sequencing technology has resulted in extensive new knowledge of the microbial ecology of different environments. We used the technology to investigate the causality of endometritis, which is an inflammation in the inner lining of the uterus affecting up to 20% of dairy cows in Denmark post partum. Endometritis is linked to reduced reproductive performance, which is costly for the farmer and often leads to culling of the affected cows. With incomplete knowledge of the bacteria involved, treatment is performed without an option for choosing the best suited antimicrobial agent, which may lead to unnecessary antibiotic resistance development. Slaughterhouse samples were analysed in order to obtain information on the uterine microbiota from both cows with endometritis and seemingly healthy cows from a variety of herds. We sampled uteri from cows (n=50) from a slaughterhouse in Holstebro, Denmark. An incision was made into the right uterine horn and an endometrial biopsy was taken with a pair of sterilised scissors. The endometrial surface was sampled with a cotton-swab through the same incision. All samples were immediately put in RNAlater. The DNA was extracted with the Maxwell 16 LEV Blood kit (Promega), the 16S rRNA PCR was performed with primers targeting the V2 region, and the 454 next generation sequencing was performed by GATC. Previous results have shown that Proteobacteria and Tenericutes are the most important bacteria phyla in the uterus of healthy cows (Machado et al. 2012 and Galvão et al. 2012) while Escherichia coli, Trueperella Pyogenes, Prevotella species and Fusobacterium necrophorum have commonly been associated with endometritis (Sheldon 2006). Preliminary results indicate that we often find bacteria from phylum Actinobacteria in the healthy cows and often bacteria from phyla Bacteroidetes and Fusobacteria in cows with endometritis.

Formålet med dette studie var at sammenligne endometrieprøver udtaget ved to forskellige parrede metoder, uterin biopsi og svaber, med henblik på diagnosticering af endometritis. For at nedbringe risikoen for kontaminering blev prøver udtaget fra slagteriorganer af 52 danske malkekvæg uden selektion for patologiske forandringer eller drægtigheder. For hver metode blev prøverne udsået på blodagar i petriskåle og undersøgt mikrobiologisk. Ligeledes blev der fremstillet farvede cytologipræparater for hver metode til optælling af polymorfkernede neutrofile granulocytter (PMN). Et cytologisk præparat blev vurderet positivt ved >5,5 % PMNs. På baggrund af disse undersøgelser fandtes metoderne svaber og biopsi ikke signifikant forskellige for cytologi (p=0,78) og bakteriologi (p=0,83) ved brug af Fishers eksakt test. Ved sammenligning af bakteriologi- og cytologiresultater sås ligeledes ingen signifikant forskel for svaber (p=0,45) og for biopsi (p=0,21) ved Fishers eksakt test. Dog påvistes der ingen signifikant sammenhæng mellem bakteriologi -og cytologi for prøver udtaget med biopsimetoden ved brug af McNemars test. Ud fra sammenligningsresultaterne alene er det ikke muligt klarlægge, hvilken metode der er mest effektiv til diagnostisk af endometritis., The objective of the present study was to compare two uterine sampling methods for diagnosing endometritis in dairy cows, the methods being uterine biopsy and uterine swab respectively. In order to reduce the risk of contamination, the sampels were taken post mortem from organs of 52 Danish dairy cows in a slaughterhouse including organs with pathological changes or pregnancies. For each method, the samples were smeared on the surface of blood agar petri dishes and characterized microbiologically. Stained cytology samples obtained from both swabs and biopsies were used to detect the amount of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs). A cytological preparation was characterized as positive if > 5.5% PMNs. Based upon the present study, the uterine swab and uterine biopsy were not significantly different in order of cytology (p = 0.78) and bacteriology (p = 0.83) using Fisher's exact test. No significant difference was detected when comparing bacteriology and cytology for the swab (p = 0.45) and for the biopsy (p=0.21) using Fisher’s exact test. However, the relationship between bacteriology and cytology of samples taken by biopsy method were detected not signifikant by McNemars test. Based upon the obtained results, it is not possible to conclude which method to be the most effective in order to diagnose endometritis.

Bestemmelse af tævens ovulationstidspunkt og det optimale tidspunkt for parring eller insemination er en udfordring for mange dyrlæger. Det optimale parringstidspunkt også kaldet fertilisationsperioden, referer til de ca. 3 døgn i tævens østralcyklus, hvor modnede ova er tilstede i tuba uterina. Denne periode er mellem Dag 2 og Dag 5 efter ovulationen, hvorfor en sikker identifikation af ovulationstidspunktet er helt afgørende for korrekt planlægning af parring eller insemination. Kvantitativ måling af progesteronkoncentrationen i serum er den mest anvendelige metode i praksis, men indebærer oftest ventetid på svar fra et eksternt laboratorie, hvorfor det er relevant at undersøge, om der er alternative metoder, som kan give et hurtigere svar. Der udbydes en metode, Novosticks, som tæveejeren selv kan udføre og aflæse hjemme. Denne metode er meget interessant for opdrættere, men der foreligger ingen dokumentation for metodens sikkerhed. Formålet med dette studie var derfor at undersøge, hvor effektivt metoden Novosticks kan udpege tævens ovulationstidspunkt og det optimale parringstidspunkt. Derudover evalueredes og sammenlignedes tre kliniske metoder: subjektiv vurdering af vulva turgor, subjektiv vurdering af den vaginale mucosa ved vaginoskopi, samt differentialtælling af celletyper i exfoliativ vaginalcytologi. For disse tre metoder ønskedes det at belyse, i hvor høj grad disse er anvendelige i det praktiske arbejde med bestemmelse af ovulationstidspunktet og det optimale parringstidspunkt. For 28 tæver af forskellige racer blev der derfor gennemført undersøgelser med de fire metoder igennem proøstrus og første del af østrus. Som referencestandard for bestemmelse af ovulationstidspunktet anvendtes et progesteronniveau på 5,44 ng/ml. Den optimale parringsdag udpeget ved Novosticks-metoden faldt kun hos 39,3% af tæverne indenfor fertilisationsperioden (2-5 dage efter ovulationen), og kan derfor ikke anses som en sikker metode. De tre klinis

Endometritis is inflammation of the inner lining of the uterus, affecting up to 20% of the dairy cows after calving in Denmark. The disease causes reduced pregnancy rates, which often leads to culling of the cows and is costly for the farmer. Until now, investigations of which pathogens may cause the disease have been based on microbiological culturing, and no conclusive evidence has been found. Only a fraction of the bacterial flora is cultivable, and therefore more than 90% of the uterine microbiome has not been characterised. With incomplete knowledge of the pathogens, treatment is performed without an option for choosing the best suited antimicrobial agent, which may lead to unnecessary antibiotic resistance development. The present study is based on 16S rRNA PCR, which in combination with 454 next generation sequencing allows phylogenetic identification of the bacteria present in the sample. Not being limited to bacteria that are suited to growth under laboratory conditions, this study promises a more comprehensive insight into the microbiome of the dairy cow uterus than has previously been offered. Cows (n=40) on a Danish dairy herd were randomly selected on the basis of a uterine score indicating that the cows had uterine pathology. Uterine fluid was aspirated and if necessary the uterus was flushed with 30 ml sterile saline solution in order to retrieve uterine material. The fluid was placed in RNAlater. An endometrial biopsy was retrieved and the tissue placed in RNAlater. The cows were sampled on days 5-11 (week 1), days 26-32 (week 4), and on days 47-53 (week 7). This sampling schedule provided an opportunity to follow the development of any infection, and the combination of biopsy and uterine flush samples offered insights into whether tissue-invasive bacteria were present. The DNA was extracted with the Maxwell 16 LEV Blood kit (Promega), the 16S rRNA PCR was performed with primers targeting the V2 region, and the 454 next generation sequencing was

Dystocia in the French bulldog is not uncommon. Between the years of 2004-2009 the French Bulldog club of Sweden reported that the incidence was between 30% and 50% (RAS, 2004, 2010). The main cause was reported to be uterine inertia, likely resulting from an inbreeding depression (RAS, 2004). Further, it has been suggested that some breeders choose an elective Caesarean section before the onset of natural parturition. According to the Swedish animal welfare law, a maximum of two Caesarean sections is allowed in one bitch. However, there is no way of controlling that the law is followed, and the responsibility of taking the bitch out of breeding is up to the owner. In order to investigate the situation regarding dystocia within the breed today, and to gather information regarding the breeders thoughts on the subject, a questionnaire was sent by post to all breeders with a kennel prefix who had bred one or several SKK-registered French Bulldog litters during 2010-2011 in Sweden. The aim of the study was to investigate the following questions: I. How many litters out of the total number of French Bulldog litters registered in SKK during 2010-2011, were delivered by caesarean section? II. What percentage of the total number of caesarean sections (2010-2011) were elective? III. What was the major reason for the non-elective caesarean sections (2010-2011)? IV. Which arguments could be identified amongst breeders in favor for a second caesarean section? V. What were the breeder’s thoughts on elective caesarean section? VI. Was dystocia considered a significant problem by the breeders? VII. What were the breeders arguments in favor of or against a more controlled breeding ban? VIII. Are there options and/or limitations regarding an improvement of the problem with dystocia within the breed? The present study showed that that the number of Caesarean sections was still high (49%), and the main reason was uterine ine

As a newly graduated veterinarian you will meet a lot of new challenges when going to work in practice. One of the challenges in the Danish cattle practice is pregnancy diagnosis at an early stage around 30-35 days after artificial insemination. Newly graduated veterinarians have only little clinical experience why it can be a big challenge to go out at the dairy farms and do the pregnancy diagnosis with a certain amount of security. The objective of the present study was to determine whether a senior veterinary student with an ultrasound scanner was able to obtain the same results at pregnancy diagnosis as an experienced inseminator examining per palpation. Pregnancy diagnosis were performed on 368 Holstein cattle (189 cows and 179 heifers) in nine different herds in the northern part of Denmark, first per palpation by the inseminator hence by the senior veterinary student using an E.I.Medical Ibex Lite ultrasound scanner with an 8,5 MHz linear probe. The two operators did not communicate within one herd, so no information was exchanged during the examinations. A positive pregnancy diagnosis by scanning was stated by the identification of a visible amniotic cavity with an embryo/fetus as a minimum. Of the 368 cases, seven (1,9 %) of the diagnosis were questionable (three for the inseminator and four for the senior veterinary student) and noted for later reexamination. These cases were chosen not to be considered part of the results, because they were to be reexaminated, and will thus be discussed and evaluated separately. Of the remaining 361 cases there were found 100 % agreement between the two operators, which means that the agreement on sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and kappa all with the value of one. Beside the unison agreement on pregnancy diagnosis, the ultrasound scanner showed to be valuable with extra information when scanning the uterus, such as twin pregnancy, beginning a