Trichomoniasis, or more commonly know as Trich, is a very serious economic problem for cattle producers. It is a reduced calf crop as well as lower weaning weights. It does this by causing infertility in your breeding cows and requiring a longer breeding season.
But all is not lost. It may seem like a devastating disease but you can prevent it from showing up. There are steps that you can take to prevent Trich from showing up in the first place. Here are some things for you to consider:
What is Trichomoniasis?
Trichomoniasis is a venereal disease caused by an organism. The organism is found in the reproductive tracts of infected cows and bulls. However the primary carrier of this disease is the bull.
Transmission occurs when the infected bull breeds the cows in the herd. Once a cow has been infected it will cause infertility. It has also been known to stay in her system for a certain period of time. It can cause her to abort any fetus that she may have.
The problem with this disease is that an infected bull will not show any visible symptoms. Sometimes an infected cow will have some discharge from her reproductive organ but for the most part she will not show any really visible symptoms either.
Really the only way that you can know for sure is to have your veterinarian run a test specifically for this disease. The only way, and it will be costly, is if you have a lower calf crop that what you usually have.
Economic cost of Trichomoniasis
As I mentioned early this disease will cause infertility in cows and early embryonic death for any calf that she may be carrying. That will mean less calves to sell later.
Just how much fewer calves you ask?! Well according to a paper from Washington State transmission rate can be as high as 42%. That is 42%, almost half, of your calf crop…. gone! I don’t know about you but having half as many calves can be a real problem to deal with.
Once a cow is infected infertility can last for up to 5 months.
However an infected cow can pass the organism through her system. You will have to keep her separated from the bull for 120 to 150 days. A drawback to this is that although she can get rid of the disease once she is infected her immune system will become weak to it. This means that she can easily get infected again next season, and that is No Bueno.
Treatment and Prevention of Trichomoniasis
Now to start off with some bad news. From what I’ve been able to find there is not any approved treatment for a cow infected with Trich. Once it has made it into your herd the only option you have is to sell the infected animal, both cow and the bull, and replace them with a whole new set.
Though there may not be any treatment there are steps that you can take to prevent this disease from even showing up in the first place.
Prevention Options
- Purchase virgin bulls if possible.
- If buying a virgin bull is not possible there is something you can do. Before the bull is turned out with your cows have him tested by your veterinarian. The normal breeding soundness exam does not include this so you will have to specifically ask for the test. A good time to do this is when you are giving him a breeding soundness exam. I talk more about the importance of a soundness exam here.
- A good strategy all around but especially when preventing Trich from spreading to your herd is to keep your fences in good condition. Having good fences will prevent any strange bull from getting in with your herd and possibly getting them infected. For all you know your neighbor’s bull may be a carrier of the disease.
- Maintain good records on your herd. This is a good strategy anyways but it will help you in determining if the disease is present in your herd. Knowing what your normal calf crop percentage looks like will aid you in telling if their is a problem or not. If you have an extremely lower than normal amount it may be a sigh of Trich.
- Always have a defined breeding season and preg check your cows in a timely manner. This is a good thing to do anyways in order to have a more uniform calf crop come sale time. But checking your cows in a timely manner after breeding season will let you know more quickly if there is a problem or not. If you suspect it may be in your herd then you will need to cull and sell any open cows as well as the bull.
Possible vaccine?
Though there may not be a treatment per say, there is a vaccine that can help with the control and prevention of Trichomoniasis. It can help with any cows that may be infected but it will not cure any bulls that are carrying the disease. The vaccine requires two doses that must be administered one month apart.
But I must warn you that the vaccine still hasn’t been shown to be completely effective. So if your herd is infected really the only option that you have is to get rid of the infected animals.
Review
Trichomoniasis is a very costly disease. Once introduced into your herd you can’t get rid of it. There are some steps that you can take to prevent it from showing up
- Buy virgin bulls if possible
- If you have to use a more experienced bull then have him tested for Trich during his breeding soundness exam
- Keep good fences to keep any strange bulls from comingling with your herd
- Maintain good records so you will have an idea if there is a problem or not
