Evaluating reproductive tract health in beef and dairy cattle is increasingly recognized as a welfare issue, with conditions like uterine disease causing pain and reducing lifetime wellbeing.
Uterine disease causes significant pain and malaise in affected cattle. Metritis in particular is associated with fever, lethargy, and toxemia that severely impacts wellbeing. Cows with endometritis, even in subclinical forms, have disrupted reproductive cycles and require repeated examinations and treatments, each involving handling stress. The high prevalence of these conditions in modern dairy systems reflects the metabolic pressure of high milk production, with immune function compromised during the critical periparturient period. Better management of transition cow nutrition and calving conditions is the primary welfare solution.