Isolation of mycoplasma from genitalia of bulls in Bursa province

Abstract

The aim of this study was to study the presence and incidence of Mycoplasmas in the genital tract of bulls slaughtered at Bursa abattoir in Bursa province. A hundred and fifteen preputium washings and 115 epididymal swab samples of bulls from Bursa abattoir were investigated for Mycoplasma spp. Fourty two (36.52%) Mycoplasma strains were isolated from preputium washings of 115 bulls. No Mycoplasma spp. isolation was made from epididymal swab samples. Biochemical tests and Growth Inhibition test (Gl) were applied for identification of the isolates. Accordingly, 36 (31.30%) M. bovigenitalium, 5 (4.34%) M. bovis and one M. mycoides subsp. mycoides (SC) were isolated from bulls. This is the first report about the isolation of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides (SC) from the genital tract of bulls in Turkey. It is concluded that the infertility in the bulls caused by Mycoplasmas was widespread in Bursa province.