After parturition, dairy cows have between two and five months to conceive again if they are to maintain sustainable productivity. The reproductive biology events that need to be completed to meet this objective are the restoration of the uterus to areceptive state that would support conception and the return of ovarian cyclic activity with ovulation of competent oocytes. Unfortunately, most modern dairy cows have uterine bacterial infections, which are associated with clinical disease in about 40%of animals and subclinical endometritis in other cases. The risk of disease is increased by events such as retained fetal membranes and dystocia. However, the endometrium mounts a robust defence against infection mediated by the innate immune system. There are effective treatments for clinical disease, but even after resolution of the disease the animals are sub-fertile. Understanding the mechanisms of uterine disease may lead to improved therapeutics and help veterinary surgeons to consider strategiesfor the prevention of this disease that is endemic in modern dairy cattle.
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