Relationship between plasma concentrations of IGF-I and clinical endometritis, and response to progesterone synchrony in dairy cows during early lactation.

The first aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the concentrations of plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in the transition period and the incidence of clinical endometritis postpartum. The second aim was to evaluate the relationship between the concentration of plasma IGF-I in the transition period and the estrous synchrony response and pregnancy rate to a controlled internal drug release (CIDR) protocol. A total of 402 dairy cows, 250 multiparous and 152 primiparous, were enrolled. A blood sample was taken from all cows 2 and 1 wk precalving and wk 1, 3, 4, and 5 postcalving for subsequent analysis of IGF-I. Vaginal discharge score as a measurement of uterine health was recorded in wk 3, 4, and 5 postcalving. Estrous cycles of all cows were synchronized on ≥37 d in milk (mean = 59; range 37-93) using an 8-d CIDR protocol. All cows were scanned at 32 to 35 d after insemination to confirm pregnancy. Data were analyzed using Proc Mixed and Proc Logistic models in SAS (version 9.3; SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Plasma IGF-I concentrations were significantly greater in the primiparous cows than in the multiparous cows, both before and after calving, and were therefore analyzed separately. In multiparous cows plasma IGF-I concentrations postcalving were significantly lower among cows with uterine infection than in those without infection, and multiparous cows with a plasma IGF-I concentration less than 40 ng/mL 1 wk after calving were 3 times more likely to suffer from a uterine infection 4 to 5 weeks postcalving (odds ratio 2.8; 95% confidence interval 1.0-7.6). Plasma IGF-I concentrations were significantly greater after calving in the 121 primiparous cows that exhibited estrus post-CIDR protocol (mean 125 ng/mL) than in the 25 primiparous cows that did not respond (mean 95 ng/mL). Multiparous cows with greater plasma IGF-I concentrations postcalving had a significantly greater chance of conceiving (mean plasma IGF-I concentration of conceiving cows = 86 ng/mL; nonconceiving = 70 ng/mL). These results show an association between greater concentrations of plasma IGF-I postcalving and response to CIDR protocol in primiparous animals (mean plasma IGF-I concentration of responders = 116 ng/mL; nonresponders = 95 ng/mL). In contrast no association was detected between concentrations of plasma IGF-I in relation to the response to the CIDR protocol in multiparous cows. In conclusion, changes in circulating concentrations of plasma IGF-I early postpartum may help predict reproductive status of dairy cows.