Bovine Trichomoniasis Pathology
The nature, cause, origin, and progress of Bovine Trichomoniasis.
Bovine trichomonosis is a venereal disease of cattle caused by the protozoa Tritrichomonas foetus. This organism lives in the folds of the penis and internal sheath in bulls, and colonizes the vagina, cervix, uterus and oviducts of cows.
It causes abortion and extended calving seasons. Overt clinical signs are rare as the apparent infertility due to embryonic death is the most common result. Pyometra and abortion often are the first signs of trichomoniasis noticed in a herd, but they occur in relatively few animals. When abortion occurs, it is usually within the first third to one-half of gestation
Bulls spread trichomonosis from cow to cow during natural coitus; cows generally clear infection after 2-3 heat cycles. Bulls over 4 years old are the main reservoir of infection in a herd.
