The Intra-vaginal Administration of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) Does Not Produce Adverse Effects in Beef Heifers Synchronized with Progesterone-Releasing Devices

CANDELARIA GONZALEZ MORENO; MARÍA CLAUDIA OTERO; MARÍA ELENA FÁTIMA NADER-MACIAS

Córdoba

Simposio; X Simposio Internacional de Reproducción Animal; 2013

INSTITUTO DE REPRODUCCION ANIMAL CORDOBA

Bovine metritis reduces reproductive efficiency, increases herd health costs, reduces feed consumption and also, the milk production. The signs of uterine diseases are mucopurulent or purulent vaginal discharges (VD) and are associated with a decreased fertility (LeBlanc et al., 2002; Dubuc et al., 2010). Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are into the cultivable bacteria of the vaginal microbioma of healthy heifers, increasing their numbers during the estrous (Otero et al., 1999). Our research group has selected autochthonous Lactobacillus strains from bovine vagina showing antimicrobial activity against bovine pathogens (E. coli, S. aureus, Act. pyogenes) and capability to adhere to vaginal epithelial cells (Otero et al., 2006; Otero and Nader, 2006). LAB has been successfully applied to prevent the inflammation and infection of the human vaginal tract. Therefore, the design of a preventive therapy or formula with lactobacilli could be a novel and valid alternative to restore the ecological equilibrium of the cows vaginal tract. Therefore, the safety of the LAB intravaginally administered should be demonstrated in an ?in vivo? animal model.