STDs in cattle: How to better protect your herd

Cattle farmers in South Africa face a hidden enemy – sexually transmitted diseases in cattle (STDs). These venereal diseases can silently wreak havoc on herd productivity and result in significant economic losses. Unlike dramatic outbreaks, STDs often remain undetected, gradually reducing calving rates and delivering a substantial financial blow to farmers.

In this episode, Dr Geoff Brown, a veterinary specialist in animal reproduction, sheds light on the two main culprits behind these silent attacks. One is the Tritrichomonas foetus. Brown says, “If you look at it under a microscope, it moves with an awkward, twitching, jerky motion. I always joke that it looks a bit like a three-legged spider trying to climb out of a slippery bathtub.”

The other culprit is called Campylobacter foetus, which also poses a significant threat, leading to the same devastating consequences for pregnancies in cattle.

Consequences of STDs in cattle

While not fatal to the cattle themselves, both diseases cause early embryo death and abortions. The problem lies in the subtlety of these losses.

Brown explains, “This is not dramatic and often missed. Early pregnancy losses can go unnoticed with minimal discharge, leading to the first sign being a lower calving rate – a significant economic blow for farmers who rely on the sale of healthy calves.”

He further adds that diagnosing venereal diseases typically involves testing bulls, which are the primary carriers. A sample of cells are collected from the sheath cavity, housing the penis, which is then analysed in a laboratory using two methods.