My neighbor’s herd was diagnosed with trichomonosis: How do I keep trich out of my herd?
• Heed the adage, “good fences make good neighbors” – keep fences in good repair to keep neighboring bulls out of your herd. Commingled grazing or fence–line contact with other herds is a documented risk factor for trichomonosis infection. • Maintain a closed herd. • Trich test all herd bulls annually prior to breeding, at the time of annual fertility exams. • Maintain a young (∨4 years old) bull battery – cull older bulls. • If unable to maintain a closed herd, purchase only virgin, yearling bulls. • Do not share or lease bulls. • Maintain separate breeding groups. This way, if one bull is infected with trichomonosis, he will not spread it through the entire herd. Breeding groups must have no contact with each other for this to be an effective control strategy. • Maintain a defined breeding season – this will help identify reproductive problems more readily and will produce a more uniform calf crop. • Pregnancy test all cows and heifers after the breeding season and cull open females.
