Lecture 8: Bovine noninfectious infertility

- scarring / adhesion of ovaries

- blockage of oviducts

- uterine lesions / adhesion

- neoplasia

What can noninfectious intertitly (NOT entire herd) possibly be an indirect result of?

- hormonal/mechanical - in vitro fert, embryo transfer, cloning

- management

- developmental - surgical?

- genetics

- culling

What are treatment options for bovine noninfectious infertility?

- the absence of estrus

- this is a sign, NOT a diagnosis

What is anestrus?

- where there are insufficient hormones

What is true anestrus?

- failure to detect estrus

- failure to know that she is preg

What is apparent anestrus?

- nutrition

- stress

- ability to detect and treat (is able)

- pathology

- developmental issues

- management

What are the factors that impact anestrus?

1. absence of "detected estrus" = no CL or CL present but not cycling

2. cycling, but unobserved - silent estrus or poor heat detect

How can anestrus be a cause of bovine noninfectious infertility?

- prepubertal anestrus

- post-partum anestrus

- environmental stress --> HEAT

- neoplasia --> granulosa cell tumor (uncommon)

When there is an absence of detectable anestrus with no CL what are possible causes of non-infectious infertility?

- Does she have a CL?

- may require serial palpation / U/S or progesterone / endocrine assays

How do you detect estrus?

- poor nutrition

- too young (time of puberty)

- intersex states - freemartinism or ovarian aplasia/hypoplasia

What are causes of prepubertal anestrus?

- estrogel starts off negative then as follicles growth it becomes positive during puberty

- GnRH and LH are pulsating before puberty and surge during puberty

What are hormone levels like before puperty?

- has a short life span since it has not been exposed to progesterone in some time

- there will be a cavity in the middle since cells grow from the outside in (can see on U/S)

What is the CL of a heifer that just came into puberty like?

- a male and female share a chorioallantoic membrane

- testicle of male twin develop prior to female leading to production of AMH which impacts female because they share blood supply

- AMH affects female tract and inhibits development of duct system of female

- female are mostly infertile, but some can be fertile

What is the pathophysiology of the developmental bovine noninfectious infertility of freemartinism?

- can vary

- most often seem normal

- can have a small vulva

- enlarged clitoris

- tuft of hair on ventral vulva

- internal repro organs are abnormal (short vagina, small genital tract, hypoplastic ovaries, might not have uterine horns)

(rudimentary structures of either sex)

What is the clinical appearance of freemartinism?

- history of twin birth

- probe vagina (1/3 normal length) (finds 80% of affected animals)

- labs: look for presence of Y chromosome in female with PCR or karyotyping

How do you diagnose freemartinism?

- when a cow gets pregnant and does not make it to term

- can contribute the freemartinism based on how long the fetus lives and if there are more than one feti

What is early embryonic death? does it relate to freemartinism?

- normal 3-5 weeks

When is postpartum anestrus in cattle normally?

- cystic ovarian degeneration (ovarian follicular cysts, ovarian cysts, cystic ovaries)

- metritis (infectious origin)

- high producing dairy cows

- suckling suppression in beef cattle

- poor nutrition

What are factors that can lead to postpartum anestrus?

- thin walled fluid filled follicular structure (> 25 mm)

- can be present on both ovaries

- importance to look at how long it has been maintained

- often absence of ovarian tissue

- can persist for a minimum of 10 days

- often a period of anestrus with no normal ovarian cyclicity

What is cystic ovarian degeneration (ovarian follicular cysts, ovarian cysts, cystic ovaries)?

- animal in anestrus = main sign

- +/- nymphomania (estrodiol)

- irregular estrus intervals

- may have bull like apperance

- increased calving interval by 50 days

what are the signs of ovarian follicular cysts?

- high producing dairy cattle

- lack of estradiol precursors (androstenedione)

- metabolic disorders associated with neg energy balance

50% of early ovarian follicular cysts self correct. Who is at greater incidence and why?

- spontaneous recovery

- manual rupture (not rec due to adhesion)

- leutenize it --> GnRH/PGF2a or hCG/PGF2a

- trans vaginal U/S guided aspirate

How do you treat ovarian follicular cysts?

- serial U/S or palpation

- retreat

- cull or IVF

How do you follow up on a bovine ovarian follicular cysts?

- absence of detectable estrus

- poor service rate

What can heat stress lead to in cattle?

- prepubertal --> segmental aplasia

- postpartum --> pyometra

- post-service --> preg/maceration or mummies

When there is an absence of anestrus with a CL present what are the possible causes of non-infectious infertility?

segmental aplasia (abn development)

- absence of uterine horn

- freemartinism

- white heifer disease

hydrometra and mucometra

What are prepubertal causes of non-infectious infertility when there is no anestrus with a CL present?

- a form of prepubertal non-infectious infertility seen in animals with no anestrus but with a CL

- connection of the uterus and ovary leading to prolonged CL

What is white heifer disease?

- fetus become soft and liquid

What is maceration, which can lead to prepubertal non-infectious infertility seen in animals with no anestrus but with a CL?

- mummified fetus are usually macerated, BUT maceration does not always result in mummification

How is maceration and mummification related?

- silent or weak displays of estrus

- poor heat detection

What are causes of noninfectious infertility of a cow that is cycling but it is not seen?

- high producing cows (stress, decreased estrogen)

- suckle suppression

- environmental stress (concrete, slippery, temp)

- nocturnal display of heat

What are causes of silent or weak displays of estrus?

- management

- footing

- lack of training

- poor communication

- few/no estrus detection aids `

What are causes of poor heat detection?

- seen in beef cattle that when the calf is around, heard, or smelled ovulation will be delayed

What is lactation anestrus?

- problem with delivery of semen

- mechanical lesions

What are causes of non-infectious infertility of cycling females that are observed but do not get preg?

- semen storage, handling, AI tech

- THAWBOX

- bull is not fertile

What are examples of problems with delivery of semen?

- segmental aplasia

- adhesions

- paraovarian cysts

- uterine didelphys (2 cervixes)

- imperforate hymen or peristent hymen

What are examples of mechanical lesions that can lead to cows seen cycling but not getting preg?

- early embryonic death

- induced

What are causes of non-infectious infertility of cycling females that are observed in estrus get preg but fail to produce a calf?

- environmental = heat stress

- aged gamestes --> poor timing of AI

- chromosomal anomalies

what are causes of early embryonic death?

- traumatic palpation

- PGF2a release or admin

- stress

What are causes of induced fetal death?