VN September 2020

Vetnuus | September 2020 34 Important sexually transmitted diseases affecting bovine reproductive health Dr Chantelle Erwee, Zoetis South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Technical Manager: Ruminants Regulars I Zoetis pages With the breeding season upon us, it is pertinent to review the diseases that can have a significant impact on the fertility and overall economics and productivity on the farm. In the beef industry, it is important to get cows pregnant early in the breeding season, to ensure a uniform and heavier calf to market. In the dairy industry, continuous milk production is dependent on proper management of the inter-calving period per cow. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that wreak havoc with fertility through lowered conception rates or increased days to conception, abortion, delayed or extended calving seasons, and other associated reproductive losses should therefore be avoided at all cost. One of the important STDs in cattle that will be discussed in this article is trichomoniasis. Trichomoniasis is caused by a flaggelated protozoa, Tritrichomonas foetus . It is interesting to take note of the different spelling of ‘foetus’ vs ‘fetus’ in the nomenclature. T. foetus was discovered, and subsequently named, by Riedmüller in Europe in the early twentieth century, hence the ‘o’. 2 Amajor concernwith trichomoniasis is that oftenby the time the disease is detected, the economic impact has already been significant. 2 Coitus is the main mode of transmission. 2 Affected bulls neither show clinical signs nor have gross pathology, but there could be some histological infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells into the penis and prepuce. 1,2 The parasite establishes itself on the surface of Zoetis Animal HealthPages FOR ANIMALS. FOR HEALTH. FOR YOU.