The Disease Trichomoniasis is a disease of cattle that causes infertility, open cows, and occasional abortions in cows and heifers.
Trichomoniasis can also be costly to eradicate from a herd.
Dr. Robert BonDurant, a UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine researcher, has put together the most current information on Trichomoniasis for the next two months' columns. The cattle organism lives in the microscopic folds of the skin that line the bull's penis and internal sheath. As the bull gets older, this skin grows, and folds more and more, creating additional places where the organism can thrive. In the cow or heifer, the organism lives in the cavity of the vagina and uterus until her immune system eventually destroys it. Also, the immunity is short-lived, so a cow or heifer can become infected again.