Ozone treatment of metritis and endometritis in Holstein cows

The aim of research was to investigate the frequency of metritis and endometritis, also the effi cacy of ozone spray treatment in Holstein cows. The cows (n = 91) ranged from 2 to 7 years of age and were housed in two commercial dairy farms in the north-western region of Croatia. The study was conducted over the course of 1 year. The cows were divided into the three groups based on uterine fi ndings and diagnosis (metritis, endometritis and control). The fi rst group comprised cows suffering from metritis diagnosed on days 5 and/ or 15 following parturition. The second group included cows diagnosed with endometritis on days 25 and/or 45 after parturition. The third group included animals without clinical signs of uterine infl ammation. In cases when metritis or endometritis was established, ozone foam (Riger spray G) was inserted into the uterus. Ozone was applied by means of a vial containing ozonated foam under pressure for 5 seconds. The time to the fi rst postpartal insemination was shorter for controls compared to the metritis and endometritis groups (P<0.05). The days open until pregnancy was the longest (133 days) in cows with endometritis (n = 28). In the control group (n = 41) the days open until pregnancy was 125 days and in the group of cows treated for metritis (n = 22) was 120 days. Conception rates for the fi rst, second and third groups were 1.86, 2.21 and 1.90, respectively. The intrauterine ozone fl ush therefore has potential to alleviate metritis and endometritis as an effi cacious and cost-