Ultrasonographic diagnosis of the retained semen straw in the uterus of a repeat breeder cow

A 6 year old lactating Holstein cow with a history of repeat breeding syndrome (failed to conceive afterthree artificial inseminations (AI) with fertile semen) was referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of theSchool of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University. According to the history, neither abnormal clinical signs,nor uterine discharge had been observed subsequent to AI. The cow had shown signs of oestrus on a cyclicand regular basis. On rectal examination, no palpable object was detected inside the uterine horns, however,transrectal ultrasonographic examination revealed a hyperechoic straw shape object in the left uterine horn.Left flank laparotomy was performed and after exposure of left uterine horn, the palpated straw was removed through a small hysterotomy incision. Postoperative follow up did not show any complication. No attempt was made to inseminate the cow after operation as it was not the farmer’s plan to get the cow in calf.