Assessing Postpartum Reproductive Health via Endometrial Cytology and Body Temperature in Mehsana Buffaloes

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of body temperature and endometrial cytology on postpartum reproductive health in Mehsana buffaloes. A total of twenty-six Mehsana buffaloes were used in this study. Per-rectal and ultrasonography examinations were used to observe the postpartum reproductive function of these buffaloes and on day 60 post natural service, the pregnancy was confirmed. Based on fertile estrus, buffaloes were retrospectively divided into two groups: Group I (buffaloes conceiving before 90 days) and Group II (buffaloes conceiving after 90 days). One week before parturition and four weeks after it, the rectal temperature was taken. The cytobrush technique was used to obtain endometrial samples for cytological tests on the 21st and 30th day postpartum. During the final week of pregnancy and the first, second, third, and fourth weeks’ post-partum, the mean rectal temperature (⁰F) varied from 101.7 ± 0.07 to 102.0 ± 0.06 in Group-I and 101.6 ± 0.07 to 102.1 ± 0.05 in Group-II. During the final week pre-partum and the first week post-partum, the mean rectal temperature (⁰F) was shown to be significantly (p<0.05) lower than it was during the second, third, and fourth weeks post-partum among the groups. On the 21st and 30th day postpartum during endometrial cytology, the percentage of neutrophils was 14.31 ± 1.56 and 12.23 ± 0.93 in Group I and 17.92 ± 1.51 and 15.08 ± 0.73 in Group II, respectively. On the 30th day, there was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the groups in Group II that had a greater mean percentage of neutrophils. When endometrial cytology was performed on buffaloes at various postpartum days, the mean percentage of lymphocytes, endometrial epithelial cells and large vacuolated epithelial cells revealed non-significant changes. On the 30th day, it was discovered that the prevalence of subclinical endometritis in Group I and Group II buffaloes was 7.69 and 23.07 percent, respectively. The postpartum first behavioural estrus and first fertile estrus occurred at 62.00 ± 4.34 and 65.31±4.45 days in Group I and 77.46±11.12 and 130.08±9.26 days in Group II buffaloes, respectively. Although, the average days for first behavioural estrus did not differ significantly between the groups the fertile estrus occurred significantly (P<0.05) delayed in Group II buffaloes.