Genital Vibriosis in the Bovine: An Experimental Study on the Influence on Early Embryonic Mortality

The literature on early embryonic mortality in cattle is outlined as well as communications on the fertility-decreasing and oestrusinterval-prolonging effect of the Vibrio fetus infection. Experiments were performed in which 20 heifers in heat were inseminated with semen of known fertilizing capacity, and at the same time inoculated with Vibrio fetus. Part of the heifers were killed two weeks later, recovery of embryos was attempted, and the uterus cultured. Other experimental heifers were left alive and controlled for returning to heat. These heifers were later on inseminated again, killed two weeks later and submitted to the same procedure as the first mentioned heifers. All ten he ifers allowed to live returned to heat after about three weeks. From both categories of heifers an embryo was recovered in 17 out of 20 cases. Vibrio fetus was re covered from 19 of the 20 experimental heifers, in all ca ses from the cervical canal, less frequently from the basal region of the uterine horns, and still less frequently from the apical parts of horns. The results are discussed, and it is concluded that the experiments so far indicate that the Vibrio fetus infection does not prevent fertilization, but provokes early embryonic death occurring two to three weeks after the fertilization. Infection is most constantly found in the cervical canal, and the question arises whether the embryoinjuring effect can be exerted without the infection being present in the uterus itself.