Bacterial endotoxin in blood of dysgalactic sows in relation to microbial status of uterus, milk, and intestine

Clinical cases of lactation failure in sows from 6 swine herds in Illinois were investigated for the presence of bacterial endotoxins in blood and the concurrent microbial status of uterus, milk, and intestine. Twenty-five affected sows were compared with 13 contemporary healthy sows (controls) in the same herds. A higher prevalence of bacterial endotoxin in blood of affected sows than in the controls, although not statistically significant, supported earlier theories of endotoxin involvement in the disease. Further, a positive relationship was noticed between prevalence of solely gram-negative bacteria in ileum and milk and development of dysgalactia and endotoxemia. No such relationship was found for bacterial isolates from the uterus, suggesting lack of association between lactation failure and metritis.