The present study was conducted on early postpartum (PP, n=30) crossbred cows under field conditions to evaluate their endometrial cytology, pH and Whiteside test score of genital discharge in relation to fertility post-treatment. The puerperal discharge aspirated was categorized based on the quality into four classes as bloody chocolate coloured, bloody with white flakes, turbid purulent and clear watery blood tinged. Endometrial cytology was collected using cytobrush assembly. The cows yielding bacterial growth from the discharge were treated (Gr.I, n=19) with sensitive antibiotics (i/m) and cows not yielding bacterial growth served as control (Gr II, n=11). The treated cows were inseminated at subsequent estruses and followed for repeating to estrus for 3 cycles and/or pregnancy. The subclinical endometritis was diagnosed using cytobrush technique with mean PMN% (cut off value ≥18) of 22.66±1.86, 22.00±2.17, 22.80±6.34 and 30.50±5.93 in cows yielding bacterial isolates and having bloody chocolate colour, bloody white flakes, turbid purulent, and clear watery blood tinged puerperal discharges, respectively. In cows not yielding bacterial isolates, the mean PMN % were 8.75±5.06 and 3.00±1.96 for bloody chocolate coloured, and clear watery blood tinged puerperal discharges, respectively. The mean Whiteside test (WST) scores recorded were 1.33±0.33, 1.80±0.20, 2.20±0.49 and 1.83±0.40 for above four classes of puerperal discharges in cows with bacterial isolates (Gr I). These values for bloody chocolate coloured and clear watery blood tinged discharges in cows with no bacterial growth were 0.00±0.00 and 0.14±0.14, respectively (Gr. II). The mean pH values for bloody chocolate colour, bloody with white flakes, turbid purulent, and clear watery blood tinged discharges were 6.58±0.28, 7.21±0.27, 7.55±0.22 and 6.67±0.19 in cows with bacterial isolates, with corresponding post-treatment pregnancy rates of 33.33, 20.00, 40.00 and 83.33 %, with an overall pregnancy rate of 47.36 %. While the mean pH values for cows not yielding bacterial isolates and having puerperal discharge of bloody chocolate coloured, and clear watery blood tinged characteristics were 7.49±0.24 and 7.39±0.23, respectively. The pregnancy rates in cows under these categories of control group were 75.00 and 57.14%, respectively, with an overall pregnancy rate of 63.63%. It was concluded that the cytobrush technique (PMN%) for endometrial cytology and Whiteside test of genital discharge were good tools for ruling out the subclinical genital infections in early postpartum cows.

Download this article as