Fig 1. Schematic of study design.

Study design is displayed above. The red cow is indicates status at metritis diagnosis, pink cows represent a cow with metritis having been treated with ceftiofur crystalline-free acid (CCFA), while white cows represent healthy pair-matched controls. The syringe by the ear of the first 2 cows in the treated group represent the administration of CCFA in contralateral ears. Gloves with feces represent days at which samples were collected. Day 0 samples were collected prior to CCFA administration.