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Faunsdale, AL | Virgin bulls and heifers should be clean.
Older bulls should be tested before use. I think the current recommendation is at least 2 times. Some of the newer testing methods are better than the old ones were, but I don't believe anyone is going to recommend hanging your hat on a single test of any type. Contact your vet and see what methods of testing are available to you. Our state lab supplies the transport media to put the swabs/scrapings into and ship to the lab. There are also commercial versions of the same thing. I believe there are also tests for the DNA of the trich organism which are available as well.
Usually cows bred by an infected bull will loose a couple of early pregnancies and then get immune enough to carry to term. Most will clear the infection completely and may be still immune next time, but some can be susceptable to infection again if bred by an infected bull. Younger bulls can usually clear it if they are rested not exposed for several months at least. Older bulls can no longer clear the infection and remain infected permanently.
Vaccination can help in the management of the disease, but under no circumstances would I recommend using known infected bulls even in a vaccinated herd. Vaccination is primarily for the cows, but the vaccination can help young bulls clear the infection quicker. It does not work effectively on older bulls.
If you have positive bulls or cows, vaccination would be a logical first step, followed by immediate testing and culling of older infected bulls and instituting a controlled breeding season so both the cows and bulls have a long enough period of sexual rest to have a chance of clearing the infection before being re-exposed. Then preg check and cull all open cows and test all bulls before the next breeding season. Re vaccinate before turning the bulls in so that any remaining infected cows (or bulls that were missed in the testing) will perhaps cause less infertility in the cow herd.
Call your vet or the state veterinarian's office about the legalities of this. Many states require testing of bulls older than a year before entry into the state, but that does nothing about intrastate movement.
Edited by ccjersey 8/21/2011 16:13
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trichomoniasis
