BOVINE ABORTIONS

Prepared by
Dr. Drh. PRABOWO PURWONO PUTRO, M.Phil.
International Bovine Reproductive Courses for
Developing countries
Funded by JICA
August, 2009

Causes of Abortion
Non-infectious
Infectious
Viral
Bacterial
Protozoal
Mycotic

Non-Infectious Abortions
Genetic
Embryonic mortality
Fetal anomalies

Miscellaneous
Fetal mummification
Fetal maceration
Uterine torsion
Uterine rupture

Non-Infectious Abortion
Pine Needle Abortion
Ingestion of needles from the Ponderosa pine tree (Pinus

ponderosa) can result in third trimester abortion. Feeding

high levels of protein increases pine needle consumption.

The exact abortive principle has not been identified as of

yet, but has been found to produce profound constriction of

caruncular arterial beds resulting in progressive reduction
in uterine blood flow causing premature parturition with
normal prepartum changes in steroid secretion.

Retained placenta and endometritis are common sequelae.

Prevention requires isolation of cattle from areas

containing pine needles.

Non-Infectious Abortions
Locoweed toxicosis
Astragalus and Oxytropis are the most common species

affecting cattle and can result in a wide range of

reproductive defects including abortion, teratogenesis,
hydrops annuii, hydrops allantois, deficient uterine and
placental vascular development, decreased cotyledonary
development, decreased conception, reduced libido, and
low sperm production.
Abortion can occur at any stage of gestation following
continuous consumption for 4 to 6 weeks.
The toxic principle is the indolizidine alkaloid
swainsonine. It causes increased peripheral vascular
resistance in the fetus resulting in heart failure, death,
and abortion.

Non-Infectious Abortions
Nitrate toxicosis
Nitrate toxicity can result from cattle ingesting nitrate

accumulating plants or heavily fertilized pastures and

can cause abortion in late gestation cows.

The nitrate accumulates in the rumen where it is reduced

by microbes into nitrite. The nitrite is absorbed into the

bloodstream where it oxidizes normal ferrous
hemoglobin to the ferric state, forming methemoglobin.
Placental transfer of oxygen is severely reduced,
resulting in fetal hypoxia and death. The hypoxia also
causes increases of fetal cortisol and adrenocorticotropic
hormone which can contribute to abortion

Non-Infectious Abortions
Other plants:
Goldenrod, Johnson grass, Hemlock, etc.

Corticosteroids:
Iatrogenic abortion can occur with steroid administration during

the last month of gestation.

Sodium Iodide:
Its use is avoided in pregnant cows because of the threat of

abortion, but this has not been proved experimentally.

Nutrition:
Rarely a cause of abortion. Long standing vitamin A deficiency

can result in abortion, weak calves, and retained placentas.

Stress

Viral Abortions
Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR)-

bovine herpes virus 1

Reproductive form is spread in secretions from

reproductive organs
Often persists latently in the trigeminal ganglia but
shedding can be induced by stress or steroid injection
Contagious aerosol
Abortion usually occurs during the second to third
trimester with autolysis of the fetus in 25-50% of
infected animals
Disease is best controlled by vaccination. Modified live
vaccines WILL cause abortion. A killed vaccine is
available for vaccination of pregnant cows.

Viral Abortions
Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD)
Spread by aerosol or oral through fecal contamination.

Vector, mechanical, and vertical transmission also possible

Reproductive effects are variable depending on the time of
infection. Abortion usually occurs following infection in the
early months of gestation. Expulsion of the fetus may occur
around the time of maternal infection or many months later
Congenital malformations such as cerebellar hypoplasia,
ocular dysgenesis, and musculoskeletal defects may occur
Vaccination is the best means of control. Modified live
vaccines CAN cause abortion. Killed vaccines are available
for vaccination of pregnant cows.

Infectious factor Abortion rate

Abortion timing

Recurrence of
abortion

Common names
Viral
Bovine Viral
Diarrhoea Virus
BVD-MD

Usually low

Complex pathology
Abortion usually up to 4
months

Uncommon
immunity
develops

Bovine
Herpesvirus
type I (BHV I)
Infectious
Bovine
rhinotracheitis
virus (IBRV)
IBR
IBR-IPV

5-60%
in non
vaccinated
herds

Possibly any stage but

most common
from 4 months to term

Uncommon
immunity
develops

Epizootic
Bovine Abortion
Foothill
Abortion

Can reach
Usually in the last
75%
trimester
Limited mainly
to California in
the US

Unlikely

Protozoal Abortions
Neospora canina
Life cycle is unknown but is believed to be similar to

Toxoplasma gondii resulting in ingestion of oocysts in

fecal contaminated feed by carnivores
Transplacental
Abortion occurs between 3-8 months of gestation
Common fetal lesions include multifocal, necrotic, nonsupportive encephalitis with mononuclear myositis and
myocarditis
Dam transmits to offspring for several generations

Protozoal Abortions
Trichomoniasis (Trichomonas fetus)
Venereal transmission pyometra
Abortion in 1st trimester
Repeat breeding
If abortion occurs in later gestation, diagnosis may be

made by microscopic examination of fetal stomach

contents

Infectious factor Abortion rate

Abortion timing

Recurrence of abortion

Common names
Protozoan
Tritrichomonas
(Trichomonas)
foetus
Trichomoniasis

Sporadic

first half of gestation

Animal gains immunity

but probably not life-long

Neospora
caninum
Neosporosis

High in first
Any stage, but most
gestation and often 5-6 months
when infection
enters the
nave herd
Up to 30% first
outbreak
Enzootic: 510%

Decreases with parity but

always possible

Mycotic Abortions
Most common agent causing abortion in bovine species

is Aspergillus fumigatus.

The most common route of infection is through the

respiratory passages but can originate from the

gastrointestinal tract.

10% abortion rate BUT mainly a placental disease

Mycotic Abortions
Abortion can occur anytime after the third month of

gestation, but usually occurs in late pregnancy and tends to

peak in the winter and spring due to feeding of hay, silage,
and grain and the large numbers of calves being born at this
time.

Retained placenta is a common occurrence following

mycotic abortions.

The fetus may appear normal or show signs of

lymphadenitis, dehydration, emaciation. Ringworm-like skin

lesions are very indicative of a mycotic etiology.

Reproductive performance of cattle following mycotic

abortions is usually not hindered because the organism does

not seem to persist in the reproductive tracts.

Infectious factor Abortion rate

Abortion timing Recurrence of abortion

Common names
Fungal
Aspergillus sp
(60-80%
Mucor sp ,
Absidia , or
Rhizopus sp

Usually sporadic
but can reach 510%

4 months to
term
most common
in winter

May recur

Bacterial Abortions
Leptospira interrogans
Transmission can occur through urine contamination,

placental and uterine discharges, transplacentally,

venereally, or through milk contamination
Acute disease is usually manifested as mastitis. Chronic
disease is manifested as abortion, stillbirth, and the birth of
premature, weak calves
Abortion rate 25-30% - abortion and fetal death frequently
at term
Serovar hardjo is associated with infertility, abortion (4
months to term), and retained placenta. Serovar pomona
is most commonly associated with abortion in the third
trimester
Tetracycline can be used to treat acute infections
Vaccines are available and the risk of feed contamination
reduced by limiting contact with wildlife and rodent

Bacterial Abortions
Epizootic Bovine Abortion (EBA)

(Foothill Abortion)
1950s foothills of Central Valley of CA
Etiologic agent is not known but suspected organisms

include Chlamydia psittaci and Borrelia burgdorferi. It is

transmitted by the argasid tick Ornithodoros coriaceous.
The abortions occur in late pregnancy with no clinical signs
seen in the dam.
80% animals abort
This disease is controlled by exposing yearlings and open
two year old cows to summertime brush areas where the
tick is present and breeding in the fall.
A seminal vesiculitis syndrome in bulls is associated with
the same area as epizootic bovine abortion.

Bacterial Abortions
Listeria monocytogenes
Transmitted via contaminated feed
This bacteria is a normal inhabitant of the soil and intestinal tract of

animals. The most common mode of infection is ingestion, and is

often traced to feeding poorly cured silage in the winter.

The organism invades the intestinal epithelium and enters the

bloodstream localizing in the placentomes and entering the amniotic

fluid. The bacteria are aspirated and replicate in fetal organs

Abortions occur in the second half of gestation with the dam usually

not demonstrating any clinical signs of disease.

No vaccine is available.

Bacterial Abortions
Campylobacter fetus (Vibrio fetus)
Venereal transmission
Abortions at 3-4 months gestation
5-10% abortion rate
Major cause of infertility
No vaccine is available.

Bacterial Abortions
Other bacteria that have been found to cause

abortion in cattle include

Mycoplasma spp.
Ureaplasma spp.
Salmonella
Haemophilus somnus
Chlamydia
BRUCELLA spp.

Infectious factor
Common names

Abortion rate

Abortion timing

Recurrence of
abortion

Bacterial
Brucella abortus
Brucellosis
Bangs disease
Zoonosis

Up to 80% of
unvaccinated
animals infected
in 1st or 2nd
trimester

6-9 months
Abortion or
stillbirth 2 wk to 5
mo after infection

Majority abort only

once

Campylobacter fetus
venerealis
Vibriosis

>10%

5-8 months

Uncommon,
convalescent cows
resistant to infection

C fetus fetus
C jejuni

Sporadic

4-9 months

Uncommon,
convalescent cows
resistant to infection

Leptospira interrogans
serovars grippotyphosa
pomona, hardjo, canicola,
icterohaemorrhagiae
Zoonosis

5-40%

Last trimester
Abortion 2-5
weeks after
infection

Immunity to the
serotype causing
abortion but
sensitive to other
types

Listeria monocytogenes
Zoonosis

Usually sporadic
but can reach

Last trimester

May recur

Field Necropsy
Piece of placenta if possible
Remember this is contaminated with environmental

organisms

Fetal tissues
Piece of fetal lung
Piece of fetal liver and spleen
Abomasal fluid

Direct Observation
Placental
All look similar can not tell what agent caused

placentitis

Fetal
All fetuses look similar can not tell what agent

caused the abortion

Exception sometimes ringworm like lesions due to

fungal infections on the skin

Thank you very much for your kind

attention!