trichomoniasis in cattle

[mrf]

I recently purchased a bull from a gentleman and required that the bull be tested [fertility and trichomoniasis], I was assured that he had been tested and approved and the vet's name was included. Eight months later, I have my cows worked and preg. tested and am informed that the vet believes the bull has trichomoniasis. He does the test and I am waiting for the reply. I informed the vet that he was the person testing this bull, but he had no records of ever testing this bull or a bull for the seller. My questions are; 1. If this bull has trichomoniasis and it has spread to all my cows what are my options, if any? 2. From a liability standpoint, can I reasonably hold the seller liable and to what point?

 

[1982vett]

Do you have a copy of the test results from the seller? If not, why?

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Could you have had trich already?? Always buy virgin bulls.

 

[hillsdown]

There are no signs of infection in the bull, but theorganism lives in the tissue lining of the penis, prepuce,and sheath. At breeding, trich can be transmitted to the vagina of the cow where it allows the infection to devel-op in the reproductive organs. The initial infection does not usually interfere with conception, but rather, it results in death of the embryo approximately 50 dayslater. Typically, infected cows or heifers, return to estrus1 to 3 months after breeding. Infertility may persist for 2to 6 months, after which an immune response elimi-nates the infection in most females and pregnancy can be established. Some infected cows develop pus in theuterus; others may abort. Some cows remain infected but are able to deliver a normal calf. These cows infect bulls at coitus the following breeding season.

You are going to have to prove that your cows did not infect said bull. I think you need more info from the breeder if the vet did not do a semen exam and test for trich (which if I remember needs to be done shortly after breeding season and repeated a few times to confirm a trich free bull) then where did the seller get this information from. If he pulled it out of his #ss then you have a very very strong case and I would sue his #ss. BUT wait until you get the results back from the vet and do not jump the gun till you know definitively.

 

[apical meristem]

You need to get rid of the bull, and if you have any other bulls they need to be tested for it too, to see if they were infected. The cows will infect bulls for up to 2 heat cycles, or 96 days to be safe (24x2)x2. After that you can get new bulls tested and introduce them to your herd. There is probably not any recourse you can demand against the seller if you do not have anything in writing certifying that the bull you bought was trich free. Verify this by calling up and talking to your vet.