Figure 1.

Experimental Design. At d 7 to 10 postpartum, first parity Holstein cows were diagnosed with metritis (fetid red-brown watery vaginal discharge; n=18) or were deemed healthy (normal discharge; n=17) and their uterine contents sampled for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Immediately after uterine swab collection, cows were either treated with antibiotic [ceftiofur hydrochloride (i.m.; 2.2 mg/kg for 3d); healthy (n = 9), and metritis (n = 9)] or were left untreated [healthy (n = 8), and metritis (n = 9)]. Cows were slaughtered at 29.1±1.7 d postpartum (~30 d postpartum or one month) and tissues processed for bacteriology and metagenomic sequencing.