Trichomoniasis Prevention

This article is based upon Colorado State University Extension Service: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/livestk/01628.pdf I am getting a lot of reports about trichinosis (Trich.) around the county again. I have worked with a couple of producers and their veterinarian who have had this disease in their herd. It can and is devastating. One herd had only a 10% conception rate. Trich is a protozoan organism, so it is a parasite. It is transmitted by sexual contact during mating so it is a parasitic Sexual Transmuted Disease, (STD). You can not know if your cattle are infested until you have a veterinarian test. Risk factors are: Bulls exposure from neighboring pasture cattle, Cow exposure from neighboring pastures of cattle if you have a closed herd. Exposure of herd from bring in untested bulls. Retaining open cow into the next breeding season. Background The parasite lives in the sheath of the bull penis and in the re protective track of the cow. When the cow becomes infected from a Bull the infections can cause the cow to be infertile, she will cycle again and again until she builds up immunity. Unfortunately immunity is short and she can be reinfected. The cow can settle but will abort early usually first 3 months or so and goes back into heat. She can go full term and remain infected and shed the infective Trich parasite after calving. Bulls will show no signs of the Disease and will be source of infection until dead. ONLY WAY TO WIN! Is to work with you veterinarian; your adjoining ranches and develop a compressive Integrated Disease Management Plan. (IDMP)