Ruminant Health: Management, Challenges, and Veterinary Solutions

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, which focuses on health management and veterinary medicine development in ruminants. The field of veterinary medicine for ruminants is crucial due to its direct impact on animal health, productivity, and overall farm profitability. Advances in health management practices and veterinary interventions are essential to address the challenges posed by diseases, nutritional deficiencies, and other health-related issues in ruminant populations. Research in this area not only enhances our understanding of animal health but also contributes to the development of sustainable and efficient farming practices that ensure food security and improve the livelihoods of farmers.

This Special Issue aims to compile innovative research and comprehensive reviews that address key aspects of health management and veterinary medicine for ruminants. By exploring various health management strategies, disease prevention techniques, and veterinary advancements, this Special Issue seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state and future directions in this field. The topics covered will align with the scope of Animals, specifically within the domain of veterinary clinical studies. Our objective is to contribute significantly to the body of knowledge in this area. Also, we would like to offer an invaluable resource for researchers and practitioners alike.

Suggested themes and article types for submissions

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Health management strategies;
• Disease prevention and control;
• Antimicrobial use and resistance;
• Nutrition and health;
• Reproductive health;
• Welfare practices.

We encourage submissions in the form of original research articles, reviews, communications, commentaries, and case reports. These contributions will help advance our understanding of ruminant health and veterinary medicine, promoting the development of more effective and sustainable practices.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Dimitrios Gougoulis
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• veterinary medicine
• ruminant health management
• cattle
• small ruminants
• sheep
• goats
• disease prevention
• antimicrobial resistance
• reproductive health
• animal welfare

Title: Colostrum quality as a predictor of the occurrence and clinical cure of metritis in dairy cows
Authors: Madoz LV; Corva SG; Jaureguiberry; Konis TP; Marconi MJ; Migliorisi AL; Salas MG; Dominguez GA; de la Sota RL
Affiliation: 1Instituto de Investigaciones en Reproducción Animal (INIRA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias (FCV), Universidad Nacional de la Plata (UNLP), La Plata, Argentina. 2Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), CABA, Argentina. 3Cátedra de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, FCV-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina. 4Private Practice, Venado Tuerto, Santa Fe, Argentina.
Abstract: In dairy production, animals are particularly vulnerable to infections after calving, as pathogens can enter the uterus through the calving canal, increasing the risk of uterine infections like metritis. The immune status of cows at calving is crucial for overcoming uterine infections, as cows must mount an immune response to eliminate harmful bacteria. Colostrum quality has been suggested as a potential indicator of the immune status of the cow, with a Brix refractometer measuring the colostrum’s total solids content. Monitoring colostrum quality could be a cost-effective method for assessing a cow's immune capacity to fight infections, though its role in predicting postpartum uterine diseases has not been explored. The primary goal of this comprehensive study was to evaluate the association between colostrum quality and the occurrence of metritis and its clinical response to treatment. Furthermore, the study aimed to identify potential risk factors contributing to the development of metritis in grazing dairy cows and to identify metritis as a risk factor for clinical endometritis. This study was conducted on a grazing dairy farm in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with 3,000 Holstein cows. A retrospective cohort study used data from cows that calved between March 15, 2022, and March 15, 2023. After excluding incomplete records, 2,783 calvings were included in the study. Colostrum samples were collected after parturition and measured using a refractometer on the Brix scale. Vaginal discharge (VD) was assessed weekly since parturition using a 0-3 scale: VD0 (normal), VD1 (clear discharge with pus flecks), VD2 (mucopurulent, not fetid), and VD3 (watery, purulent, fetid). Cows with VD1-3 were rechecked after one and two weeks, while those with VD0 were considered healthy. Cows with VD3 within the first 21 days postpartum were treated for metritis with ceftiofur, while those with VD1-2 were not treated. Cows with VD3 that returned to VD0 were considered cured, while those with worsening or persistent VD3 were diagnosed with clinical endometritis after 21 days postpartum. Colostrum quality was assessed using the median Brix grades as a threshold to classify it as high (≥ median) or low quality (< median). Risk factors for colostrum quality included calving season, parity, dry period length, and previous lactation milk production. Metritis risk factors included colostrum quality, calving season, parity, previous metritis, and calving-related disorders (e.g., stillbirth, dystocia, twins, retained fetal membranes). Logistic regression models estimated odds for clinical endometritis, conception at first AI, and non-pregnancy at 200 DIM. All analyses were performed using SAS® On Demand for Academics. Our study revealed that while there was no significant relationship between colostrum quality and the occurrence or recovery of metritis, there was a trend of improvement of 2.6% per each Brix grade over the mean. Metritis was more prevalent in cows with calving complications, such as dystocia, stillbirth, and twins, and was not linked to parity or previous lactation metritis. The incidence of colostrum quality and metritis varied throughout the year, suggesting a seasonal influence, but the two were not directly related. Furthermore, metritis was associated with a higher risk of clinical endometritis, influenced by the severity of metritis recovery. The pregnancy rate at 100 DIM was significantly lower (28%) for cows with metritis. Although metritis did not affect the odds of nonpregnancy at 200 DIM or increase the risk of culling, it did result in a 29% lower chance of becoming pregnant at the first AI and a 52% higher likelihood of requiring a second AI. Cows with metritis were also 48% more likely to need three or more AI for successful conception.