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Reproductive Failure -- Diseases

Animal Breeding

Pensacola Jr College

Repro Disease Categories

w    Bacterial Diseases

w    Protozoan Diseases

w    Viral Diseases

Bacterial Diseases

w    Vibriosis

w    Leptospirosis

w    Brucellosis

1. Vibriosis

w    Bacterium = Campylobacter

w    Infects: hoofstock

w    Transmission: VD or contaminated feed / water

w    Results: low fertility and abortions

w    Diagnosis: lab tests required

 

w    Prevention: vaccinations and carefully keeping vibrio-free herds

w    Treatment: streptomycin

Campylobacter fetus

2. Leptospirosis

w    Bacterium = Leptospira

w    Infects: most mammal types

w    Transmission: ingest infected urine or inhale urine aerosols; semen

w    Results: abortions plus anorexia, temperature, bloody urine

 

w    Diagnosis: lab tests required

w    Prevention: vaccinations and good sanitary practices

w    Treatment: no general antibiotic works well

Leptospira interrogans

3. Brucellosis

w    Bacterium = Brucella

w    Infects: hoofstock and some other groups

w    Transmission: contaminated feed or water; semen

w    Results: abortions, sterility, infections of uterus, testes, epididymides

 

w    Diagnosis: lab tests to detect antibodies required

    Brucellosis Ring Test (BRT) used on herd milk in cows

w    Prevention: vaccinations; USDA test and slaughter program

w    Treatment: none

Brucella abortus

Protozoan Diseases

w    Trichomoniasis

w    Toxoplasmosis

1. Trichomoniasis

w    Protozoan = Trichomonas

w    Infects: cattle

w    Transmission: VD (cannot treat semen for AI use)

w    Results: low fertility and abortions, pus / infection of uterus

 

w    Diagnosis: lab tests required

w    Prevention: avoid breeding or AI by infected males

w    Treatment: antibiotics for females with uterine infections; sexual rest to provide time to eliminate organisms from repro tract

Trichomonas vaginalis

2. Toxoplasmosis

w    Protozoan = Toxoplasma

w    Infects: wide range of species (cat definitive host)

w    Transmission: ingestion of protozoan in feces or flesh

w    Results: abortions, stillbirths, high offspring mortality

 

w    Diagnosis: lab tests required

w    Prevention: prevent eating of infected carcasses (or cook); sanitation

w    Treatment: none

Toxoplasma gondii in cell

Viral Diseases

w    Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD)

w    Bluetongue

1. Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD)

w    Virus = BVD viruses

w    Infects: cattle and hoofstock

w    Transmission: mucous membranes, semen, placenta

w    Results: abortions, brain or eye defects in calves

 

w    Diagnosis: lab tests required

w    Prevention: vaccination (killed vaccine for pregnant females)

w    Treatment: none

Stunted BVD calf

2. Bluetongue

w    Virus = bluetongue virus

w    Infects: hoofstock

w    Transmission: VD or insects

w    Results: abortions; weak (nervous system damage) or stillborn calves; erosion and bluing of lips, cheeks, and tongue due to O2 deficiency

 

w    Diagnosis: lab tests required

w    Prevention: vaccination of non-pregnant animals with modified live vaccine

w    Treatment: none

Bluetongue Virus structure