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Does Oral Calcium Supplementation at Clinical Metritis Diagnosis Improve Reproductive Outcomes?

Fellow: Hannah McCray

Mentor: Jessica McArt

Co-Mentor: Francisco Leal Yepes

Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences
Sponsor: Resident Research Grants Program-Spring 2026
Title: Does Oral Calcium Supplementation at Clinical Metritis Diagnosis Improve Reproductive Outcomes?
Project Amount: $10,000
Project Period: June 2026 to May 2027

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant):

Our primary objective is to evaluate the effect of oral calcium supplementation at metritis diagnosis and 24 h later on time to pregnancy. Secondary objectives include assessing differences in milk yield over the first 60 days in milk (DIM) and evaluating metabolic and inflammatory status at metritis diagnosis. We hypothesize that cows with metritis that receive treatment with an oral calcium bolus at diagnosis and 24 h later, in addition to standard systemic antibiotic therapy, will have reduced time to pregnancy and increased early lactation milk yield. In addition, we hypothesize that the benefit from oral calcium administration will be dependent on blood calcium and haptoglobin concentrations, in that cows with reduced calcium or increased haptoglobin concentrations will have greater positive outcomes.