{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T05:14:10Z","timestamp":1787030050060,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":27,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,7]],"date-time":"2023-01-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1673049600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001659","name":"Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation)","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["491094227"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["491094227"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001659","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation","award":["491094227"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["491094227"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Veterinary Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of calving-related injuries of the vestibulum vaginae and the vagina on fertility measures in heifers. German Holstein heifers (n = 236) were checked for vestibulum vaginae and vaginal injuries. These were scored according to localization, depth and length. The healing process was assessed until day 42 post partum. Calving ease and the occurrence of metritis and endometritis were evaluated. In 160 heifers, the following fertility measures were calculated to assess the reproductive performance of heifers: mean interval from calving to first insemination, mean days open, mean interval from first insemination to conception, mean calving interval, mean pregnancy index, percentage of animals pregnant at 200 days p.p., and first service conception rate. On the one hand, dystocia was a risk factor for injuries of the soft birth canal, and, on the other hand, those injuries were a risk factor for metritis and endometritis. In this study, calving-related injuries of the vestibulum vaginae and the vagina had no statistically significant effect on the reproductive performance of heifers. One reason for this outcome was probably the overall good healing tendencies of those injuries in heifers.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/vetsci10010043","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,9]],"date-time":"2023-01-09T04:47:08Z","timestamp":1673239628000},"page":"43","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Do Calving-Related Injuries of the Vestibulum Vaginae and the Vagina Affect the Reproductive Performance in Primiparous Dairy Cows?"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Helena","family":"Marien","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic for Cattle, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30173 Hannover, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4510-3922","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Natascha","family":"Gundling","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic for Cattle, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30173 Hannover, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wolfgang","family":"Hasseler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Joint Veterinary Practice, 26871 Papenburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maren","family":"Feldmann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Bovine Health Service Switzerland, 8057 Z\u00fcrich, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kathrin","family":"Herzog","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department for Animal Welfare Service, Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, 26203 Oldenburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8154-2642","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Martina","family":"Hoedemaker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic for Cattle, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30173 Hannover, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"521","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cvfa.2004.06.001","article-title":"Managing the dairy cow at calving time","volume":"20","author":"Mee","year":"2004","journal-title":"Vet. Clin. Food Anim. Pract."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1016\/S0167-5877(02)00026-0","article-title":"Risk factors for metritis in Danish dairy cows","volume":"54","author":"Bruun","year":"2002","journal-title":"Prev. Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1305","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.S0022-0302(93)77461-5","article-title":"Path analysis for seven postpartum disorders of Holstein cows","volume":"76","author":"Correa","year":"1993","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/S0167-5877(99)00035-5","article-title":"Effects of disease on milk production in the dairy cow: A review","volume":"41","author":"Fourichon","year":"1999","journal-title":"Prev. Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1729","DOI":"10.1016\/S0093-691X(00)00311-3","article-title":"Effect of disease on reproduction in the dairy cow: A meta-analysis","volume":"53","author":"Fourichon","year":"2000","journal-title":"Theriogenology"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"840","DOI":"10.1016\/j.theriogenology.2013.12.016","article-title":"Cow attributes, herd management, and reproductive history events associated with abortion in cow-calf herds from Western Canada","volume":"81","author":"Waldner","year":"2014","journal-title":"Theriogenology"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"515","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.S0022-0302(01)74502-X","article-title":"Phenotypic trends in incidence of stillbirth for Holsteins in the United States","volume":"84","author":"Meyer","year":"2001","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Berger, M., Scheu, T., Koch, C., and Wehrend, A. (2019). Studies of the injury pattern of the soft birth canal in Holstein Friesian heifers and cows after spontaneous parturition. Reprod. Domest. Anim., 54."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"44","DOI":"10.1016\/j.theriogenology.2017.07.005","article-title":"Evaluation of the iVET((R)) birth monitoring system in primiparous dairy heifers","volume":"102","author":"Henningsen","year":"2017","journal-title":"Theriogenology"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1025","DOI":"10.1095\/biolreprod.109.077370","article-title":"Defining postpartum uterine disease and the mechanisms of infection and immunity in the female reproductive tract in cattle","volume":"81","author":"Sheldon","year":"2009","journal-title":"Biol. Reprod."},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"De Kruif, A., Mansfeld, R., and Hoedemaker, M. (2014). Fruchtbarkeit. Tier\u00e4rztliche Bestandsbetreuung beim Milchrind, Enke Verlag. [3rd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"143","DOI":"10.1016\/S0167-5877(00)00129-X","article-title":"Factors associated with rectovaginal injuries in Holstein dairy cows in a herd in Tehran, Iran","volume":"46","author":"Farhoodi","year":"2000","journal-title":"Prev. Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"42","DOI":"10.15407\/animbiol21.02.042","article-title":"Survey on the course of puerperium and on fertility after implementation of the IVET birth monitoring system in heifers","volume":"21","author":"Marien","year":"2019","journal-title":"Anim. Biol."},{"key":"ref_14","first-page":"387","article-title":"Dystocia in Friesian Heifers","volume":"127","author":"Sutherland","year":"1990","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"44","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.1981.34796","article-title":"The influence of various degrees of confinement and supervision on the incidence of dystokia and stillbirths in Hereford heifers","volume":"29","author":"Dufty","year":"1981","journal-title":"N. Z. Vet. J."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7568","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2016-11325","article-title":"Effect of calving process on the outcomes of delivery and postpartum health of dairy cows with unassisted and assisted calvings","volume":"99","author":"Kovacs","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"451","DOI":"10.1111\/asj.12667","article-title":"Influence of the duration of calving and obstetric assistance on the placental retention index in Holstein dairy cows","volume":"88","author":"Vannucchi","year":"2017","journal-title":"Anim. Sci. J."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1439-0442.2007.00850.x","article-title":"Effect of various degrees of dystocia in dairy cattle on calf viability, milk production, fertility and culling","volume":"54","author":"Tenhagen","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Vet. Med. A"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"754","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.S0022-0302(97)75995-2","article-title":"Effect of dystocia on yield, fertility, and cow losses and an economic evaluation of dystocia scores for Holsteins","volume":"80","author":"Dematawewa","year":"1997","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"617","article-title":"Einfluss von Schwergeburten bei Erstkalbinnen auf den Verlauf der ersten Laktation","volume":"54","author":"Tenhagen","year":"1999","journal-title":"Tier\u00e4rztl. Umsch."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1879","DOI":"10.1016\/j.theriogenology.2005.04.022","article-title":"Prevalence of endometritis and its effects on reproductive performance of dairy cows","volume":"64","author":"Gilbert","year":"2005","journal-title":"Theriogenology"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"818","DOI":"10.1016\/j.theriogenology.2004.05.002","article-title":"The effect of a single administration of cephapirin or cloprostenol on the reproductive performance of dairy cows with subclinical endometritis","volume":"63","author":"Kasimanickam","year":"2005","journal-title":"Theriogenology"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tvjl.2007.12.019","article-title":"Postpartum uterine disease and dairy herd reproductive performance: A review","volume":"176","author":"LeBlanc","year":"2008","journal-title":"Vet. J."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7427","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2016-12210","article-title":"Associations between subclinical hypocalcemia and postparturient diseases in dairy cows","volume":"100","author":"Rodriguez","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"33","DOI":"10.1111\/rda.14210","article-title":"The negative impact of lameness on dairy cow reproduction","volume":"57","author":"Tsousis","year":"2022","journal-title":"Reprod. Domest. Anim."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"398","DOI":"10.1017\/S1751731117001975","article-title":"Review: Behavioral signs of estrus and the potential of fully automated systems for detection of estrus in dairy cattle","volume":"12","author":"Reith","year":"2018","journal-title":"Animal"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S232","DOI":"10.1016\/j.theriogenology.2007.04.006","article-title":"Influence of negative energy balance on cyclicity and fertility in the high producing dairy cow","volume":"68","author":"Wathes","year":"2007","journal-title":"Theriogenology"}],"container-title":["Veterinary Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2306-7381\/10\/1\/43\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T18:02:41Z","timestamp":1760119361000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2306-7381\/10\/1\/43"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,7]]},"references-count":27,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,1]]}},"alternative-id":["vetsci10010043"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/vetsci10010043","relation":{},"ISSN":["2306-7381"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2306-7381","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,7]]}}}