Trichomoniasis is a venereal disease of cattle which causes devastating economic losses in infected herds because of reduced calving rates or increased length of calving season. Trichomoniasis has been recognized in all major cattle-producing countries during the past 100 years. Because most infected animals do not show any symptoms, the first sign of trouble may be a lower than normal calving rate in herds using natural breeding. Currently Oregon's highest risk areas for trich are present in the public grazing areas of Malheur, Harney, Lake, Klamath, and Jackson counties.
Oregon Test-Positive Program
Bovine Trichomoniasis is a reportable disease in Oregon. Notification of disease diagnosis should be immediately reported to the Oregon State Veterinarian.
Veterinarians working within the trichomoniasis program need to be “trich certified". Certification requires training in trichomoniasis sample collection and laboratory procedures. Oregon is currently accepting the certification of veterinarians certified in states that have a certification process. Recertification is currently due every 5 years, but it can be more often if new information about trich testing or lab procedures becomes available.
Once trichomoniasis is diagnosed in a herd, all further testing within that herd and in the exposed herds must be done by a trich certified veterinarian. An epidemiologic disease investigation is started. Positive bulls must be disease branded and can only be transported using a VS 1-27 Movement of Diseased Livestock form. All exposed herds are required to be tested for trich by PCR and the positive index herd is further required to test annually until negative.
The program requires the trich tagging of all bulls tested in a positive or exposed herd, and the reporting of that testing and tagging on an official form. On a practical basis, it is rarely known at the time of testing whether a given herd will be positive or exposed herd. Therefore, it is extremely beneficial if all bulls are officially trich tagged when tested. Some uncomfortable situations can arise when veterinarians must go back into a herd to tag bulls that were previously tested.
Veterinarians not using the ODA laboratory should fax their test/tag report forms to ODA as soon as the testing is complete. Those reports are filed by clinic and their immediate access greatly facilities the work up of a positive case. This includes reporting any virgin bulls that were identified for grazing purposes but not tested for trich. Additionally, such reports often aid in the identification of the owner of strayed bulls or the reassurance to a concerned stockgrower that testing has been done.
At least one county in Oregon, Malheur, requires the OR official trich tag on all bulls that will go to public grazing in that county. Additionally, some grazing associations require the same identification. Frequently, the testing veterinarian does not know the grazing destination of the bulls being tested, so tagging of all bulls tested can facilitate the management of bulls.
Surrounding states (specifically ID, CA, MT, WY, and NV) have strict regulations in place regarding trichomoniasis. In order to meet CVI, import permit, or pasture-to-pasture permit requirements, some identification system needs to be in place. Oregon's official trich tag, combined with a USDA official identification device provides such documentation.
Trichomoniasis Ear Tags
The trich program year begins September 1 and runs through August 31, and a different tag color applies for each trich year. For example, the 2022 trich year will begin September 1, 2021. As of that date, the test tags applied should be White and the button will be printed 2022. Preprinted tags are available for immediate shipment from MWI. However, veterinarians are free to order their own tags so long as they meet the size, color, and printed information specifications of the program. There might be considerable time lag for such custom tag orders so they should be planned well in advance. Any leftover program tags can be utilized on the next color tag cycle.
Trich tag colors change each year in a 5-year rotation as follows:
- 2021 – Green
- 2022 – White
- 2023 – Orange
- 2024 – Blue
- 2025 – Yellow
Resources
ODA Resources