Reproductive Failure Flashcards

1
Q

What kind of questions would you ask the farmer if there was a concern about reproductive failure in the beef herd?

A

Examples of some questions:
- How many bulls were used?
- Where have the bulls been sourced?
- Any pre-joining tests done on the bulls?
- Any pre-purchase tests done on the Hereford heifers?
- Any pre-joining tests done on the Angus cows?
- Vaccination history?
- Any other treatments administered?
- Any concurrent diseases observed?
- Nutrition – what type of pastures are present?
- Any supplementary feeding?
- Any abortions observed?

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2
Q

What is the acceptible abortion rate in a beef herd?

A

3-5%

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3
Q

When do most losses occur in cattle?

A

Before 80 days

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4
Q

What are some differentials to consider in a situation where a farmer is noticing reproductive failure?

A
  • Failure to conceive: Infertility, inadequate bull poer, poor AI practices, nutrition/meg energy balance, poor transition, BVDV, vibriosis, trichomoniasis
  • Early losses: BVDV, camplylobacter fetus spp., trichomoniasis, leptosporosis, iatrogenic.
  • Abortions (mid or late): neosporosis, lepto, listeriosis, salmenellosis, brucellosis, mycotic, sporadic bacterial infections, BVDV, IBR, ureaplasma, nitrate toxicities, theileria, babesia, anaplasma, or iatrogenic
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5
Q

What is the acceptible abortion rate in a dairy herds?

A

5-12%

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6
Q

In terms of bull power in breeding beef herds, how many bulls are needed?

A
  • Unsynchronised beef herds - 1 bull per 50 cows plus 1 spare
  • Synchronised beef herds - 1 bull per 25 cows plus 1 spare
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7
Q

What are the 5 parts of the bull breeding soundness exam?

A
  • Physical exam
  • Scrotal circumference
  • semen motility
  • sperm morphology
  • serving capacity
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8
Q

In a BBSE exam, what are the 3 categories for assessment and what do they mean?

A
  • Tick: low risk for reproductive failure
  • Fail: High risk for reproductive failure
  • Qualified: Does not meet all ACV standards, but is still conidered suitable as part of a bull team, but not suitable for single sire mating or as an AI sire.
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9
Q

If a bull has a corkscrew penis on electroejaclation, does this make him useless?

A

No, some bulls will corksscrew when electroejaculated but not during paddock mating.

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10
Q

What would a score of 3 or >3 mean on serological testing to detect BVDV antibodies?

A

This would mean the animal has high levels of antibody and therefore has had recent exposure to BVDV (within the last 6-9 months)

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11
Q

How is BVDV transmitted?

A
  • Transmission is via close contact: PIs shed virus from all body secretions (saliva, tears, nasal discharges, milk, urine, semen and faeces)
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12
Q

What happens if non-pregnant cattle get BVDV?

A
  • In non-pregnant cattle BVDV causes mild illness before an immune-response clears the virus
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13
Q

What happens if a foetus is infected before 4 months?

A
  • Either aborts or becomes a persistently infected carrier
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14
Q

What happens if a bull gets infected?

A
  • A transiently-infected bull will not become a PI, but can develop a persistent testicular infection
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15
Q

Does the stage of gestation affect how BVDV manifests? Explain what you would expect to see on days: 0-45, <125, 100-150 and 125-285

A

Yes an no, as abortion can occur at any stage
- 0 – 45 days: Decreased conception rates and embryonic death
- < 125 days: PI calf (BVDV antigen positive, antibody negative)
- 100 – 150 days: Congenital defects
- 125 – 285 days: Immune response to virus (ag negative, ab positive)

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16
Q

What would you expect to see in a PI calve?

A
  • Poor performers
  • May have congenital defects (hydranencephaly, cerebellar hypoplasia)
  • Are a source of BVDV (a source of future reproductive failure)
  • Develop mucosal disease and die (often around 12-18 months of age)
17
Q

How might BVDV affect the herd?

A
  • Less cows will calve this year
  • A proportion of the calves born will be PIs
  • The calving pattern will be spread out this year (implications for the fertility of the herd next year)
18
Q

How would you manage PIs in a beef herd?

A
  • Test any new bulls for BVDV prior to purchace
  • Vaccinate the herd with Pestigard before joining an immunologically naive herd
  • Cull PIs (calves and cows)
19
Q

What is the main source of vibriosis (Campylobacter fetus ssp venerealis) infection?

A

Bulls - venereal pathogen

20
Q

In terms of reproduction, what does vibriosis do?

A
  • Infection prevents implantation of the embryo or causes loss of the developing embryo, resulting in significant reproductive wastage.
  • Cows return to oestrus with prolonged and irregular cycles
  • Abortions occasionally occur around 6 months gestation – although sporadic Campylobacter-associated abotions are more likely to be caused by Campylobacter fetus ssp fetus or Campylobacter jejuni (NOT vibriosis)
21
Q

How is vibriosis diagnosed?

A
  • Diagnosis by PCR of preputial wash from the bulls or culture of preputial wash from the bulls (sample in CETM) or IgA ELISA of vaginal mucus from infected cows
  • Culture is gold standard
22
Q

What is the most effective method to prevent vibriosis?

A

Vaccinate the bulls annually

23
Q

For trichomoniasis, where is infection maintained?

A

Infection is maintaineed in the folds of the prepuce

24
Q

How might a cow get trichoniasis? What clinical signs would you expect to see?

A
  • It is a venereal pathogen
  • Organisms transferred to the cow’s vagina migrate to the uterus and cause infection. Recently infected cows have a sticky vaginal discharge of up to 2 months. Infertility in the cow can last up to 5 months
25
Q

Should bulls with trichomoniasis be culled?

A

Yes

26
Q

How is trichomoniasis diagnosed?

A

Diagnosis by culture or PCR

27
Q

What stage of gestation would you expect abortion if the cow has lepto?

A

Commonly assoicated with mid to late term abortion, can also be a source of increased infertility in carrier cows.

28
Q

Which leptospira serovar is most likely to be a source of infertility?

A
  • Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar hardjo, type hardjo-bovis
29
Q

How is leptospirosis diagnosed?

A
  • MAT - Microscopic agglutination test
  • PCR
  • FAT
30
Q

How can lepto be prevented in cattle?

A

prevention by vaccination of the herd annually with a 7 in 1