Colorado agriculture officials advise cattle owners to test for Bovine Trichomoniasis
With the recent confirmation of two positive trich locations in two Colorado counties: Park and Archuleta, The Colorado Department of Agriculture is reminding cattle owners to test their herd for Bovine Trichomoniasis.
Image/Agricultural Research Service/USDA
So far this year there have been ten trich cases in six counties: Park, La Plata, Costilla, Las Animas, Otero, and Archuleta.
So what is Bovine Trichomoniasis?
Trichomoniasis is a venereal disease of cattle characterized primarily by early fetal death and infertility, resulting in extended calving intervals, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual.
The causative organism is the protozoa, Trichomonas foetus.
T. foetus is found in the genital tracts of cattle. When cows are bred naturally by an infected bull, 30–90% become infected.
The clinical findings from T. foetus infection are fertility problems, such as early embryonic death or abortion of the calf, and is asymptomatic in bulls, according to State Veterinarian, Dr. Keith Roehr.
Dr Roehr notes that testing and monitoring herds for trichomoniasis is the best method of controlling this infection. “Cattle owners should talk to their veterinarian to determine the best management practices for their herd,” Roehr states.
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