Epigenetic and microbiome determinants of postpartum endometritis in cows: development of prevention algorithms based on the analysis of animal life history and the uterine microbiome

Postpartum endometritis remains one of the most common and economically significant pathologies in dairy production. According to published data, postpartum endometritis affects up to 30…50% of cows in high-yielding herds. Standard antibiotic treatment regimens are becoming less effective due to increasing antibiotic resistance and a lack of consideration of individual animal characteristics. This review summarizes current data on two key determinants of endometritis: the uterine microbiome and the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate it. It has been shown that the development of endometritis is associated with decreased microbiome alpha diversity, the dominance of Trueperella pyogenes and Fusobacterium necrophorum, and changes in the expression of endocannabinoid system genes. It has been established that lifestyle factors (feeding, housing conditions, and technological stress) shape both the microbiome profile and epigenetic status, shaping individual susceptibility to the disease.