**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** INFECTIONS OF THE UTERUS OCCUR IN ROUGHLY 30% TO 40% OF ALL DAIRY COWS AFTER THEY GIVE BIRTH. WHILE THESE INFECTIONS ARE NORMALLY CURED QUICKLY ON THE FARM, THESE COWS PRODUCE LESS MILK AND HAVE REDUCED FERTILITY ONCE THEY ARE HEALTHY. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHY UTERINE INFECTIONS REDUCE THE FERTILITY OF DAIRY COWS, SO THAT MILK PRODUCTION AND PROFITABILITY CAN BE MAXIMIZED FOR FARMERS. WE BELIEVE THAT UTERINE INFECTION DAMAGES THE COW'S EGG AND THEREFORE REDUCES HER ABILITY TO BECOME PREGNANT. WE WILL COLLECT EGGS FROM COWS THAT HAVE RECOVERED FROM UTERINE INFECTION, FERTILIZE THEM IN A DISH AND TRANSFER THE EMBRYOS TO HEALTHY COWS TO DETERMINE HOW THE EGG IS DAMAGED BY UTERINE INFECTION. WE ANTICIPATE THAT THESE STUDIES WILL ALLOW US TO DETERMINE HOW UTERINE INFECTION REDUCES INFERTILITY IN COWS, AND POTENTIAL WAYS WE CAN EITHER REVERSE OR PREVENT THIS DAMAGE FROM OCCURRING, THEREBY RESTORING THE FERTILITY OF COWS AFTER INFECTION. WE HOPE THAT THESE INTERVENTIONS WILL BE ABLE TOINCREASE THE FERTILITY OF DAIRY COWS AND INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY AND PROFITABILITY OF THE DAIRY INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES.