Decrease in reproductive qualities in cows that are carriers of Ureaplasma diversum

Ureaplasma diversum is an opportunistic pathogen of cattle and its carriage is often asymptomatic. However, it provokes various respiratory and reproductive diseases, which reduce the fertility of cattle. The association of U. diversum carriage in the reproductive system of female cattle and abortions, stillbirth and the birth of weakened offspring was described previously. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of U. diversum colonization of the vestibule of vagina in cattle on the effectiveness of their fertilization. For the study, smears from the surface of the mucosa form vestibule of vagina of 33 animals were examined. The presence of U. diversum in the samples was examined by real-time PCR. The frequency of U. diversum in the study group was 56.25%. There was a decrease in fertilization efficiency according to indicators such as the number of fertilization, which resulted in the pregnancy and the time interval between the calving and the pregnancy in the group of animals which are ureaplasma carriers. Five animals in the study group had symptoms of granular vulvovaginitis, and no other symptoms of the reproductive diseases were detected. The connection of granular vulvovaginitis with colonization of the vestibule of vagina by U. diversum has not been established. According to the obtained data , the carriage of U. diversum leads to a significant decrease in fertilization efficiency in cattle, and an increase of the economic burden on dairy cattle farms due to the grow in the cost of fertilization and the maintenance of cows.

Ureaplasma diversum, уреаплазмоз КРС, заболевания репродуктивной системы КРС, продуктивность КРС, ПЦР, Ureaplasma diversum, cattle ureaplasmosis, reproductive system diseases of cattle, productivity of cattle, PCR

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