• Endometrial disease is common in the cow and the detailed histologic picture revealed by biopsy in association with other reproductive examination techniques can lead to a more accurate diagnosis and prognosis.

ℹ️Consider practicing on abattoir specimens.

• Diagnosis of endometrial pathology.
• Part of a breeding soundness examination.
• Microbiological assessment of the endometrium.

Advantages

• Allows detailed histological appraisal of the endometrium.

Disadvantages

• Invasive.
• Poor technique/hygiene can cause bacterial endometritis Uterine infection: overview.
• Risk of uterine rupture Uterine rupture.

• Other reproductive examination techniques:
  • External genitalia examination.
  • Manual examination of vagina and cervix.
  • Vaginoscopic examination.
  • Endoscopy of the female reproductive tract.
  • Endometrial sample (swab/cytobrush/low volume lavage) for microbiological assessment and/or cytology.

Preparation

• 15 min.

Procedure

• 10 min.

Criteria for choosing test/procedure

• Barren cows.
• Repeat breeder cows .
• Observed palpable or expected genital tract abnormalities.
• Breeding soundness evaluation (BSE).
• Behavioral anestrus Estrus: the cow not observed in estrus..
• Pyometra or mucometra Uterine infection: overview.
• Recent embryonic or early fetal death.
• Recipient cows in ET programs Embryo transfer: overview.

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Ramirez-Garzon O, Soares Magalhaes R, Satake N et al (2021) Effect of endometrial sampling procedures on subsequent pregnancy rate of cattle. Animals 11 (6), 1683 MDPI.
• Chapwanya A, Meade K G, Narciandi F et al (2010) Endometrial biopsy: a valuable clinical and research tool in bovine reproduction Theriogenology 73 (7), 988-994 PubMed.
• Van Camp S D (1988) Endometrial biopsy of the mare. A review and update. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 4 (2), 229-245 PubMed.

Other sources of information

• Kenney R M & Doig P A (1986) Equine Endometrial Biopsy. In: Current Therapy in Theriogenology: Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Reproductive Diseases in Small and Large Animals. Eds: Morrow D A. Saunders, USA.