title: Relationships between Brucella ovis semen culture and various semen and serology parameters.
abstract: Semen and blood samples from 154 rams from two Montana range flocks (Flock A, vaccinated for Brucella ovis ; Flock B, nonvaccinated) were evaluated to determine the relationship between Brucella ovis (B. ovis ) semen culture results and various semen and blood parameters. All rams utilized in this study exhibited no palpable ram epididymitis lesions. Thirteen and 25.6% of the rams tested in Flocks A and B, respectively, had positive B. ovis semen cultures. Only age of ram and ram condition scores differed (P<0.05) between flocks. No flock by semen culture interactions were detected (P>0.05) for any of the parameters evaluated. Age of ram, ram condition score, and spermatozoa rate from forward movement were unrelated (P>0.05) to B. ovis culture results. Rams with positive B. ovis semen cultures had lower sperm motility (P<0.05), higher percentage of abnormal spermatozoa cells (P<0.05), higher percentage of spermatozoa head abnormalities (P<0.01), lower percentage of live-normal cells (P<0.05), higher incidence of white blood cells in semen (P<0.01) and higher complement fixation (CF) titers (P<0.01).
authors.affiliation: Montana State University Bozeman, MT 59717 USA.
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Kott
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Halver
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Firehammer
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Thomas