Culturing for tritrichomones sp.

Culturing Bulls :  

• The In Pouch™ TF is the preferred transport medium for Tritrichomonas fetus. 

• The recommended procedure for collecting preputial specimens is as follows:

  • Fix a 10 ml syringe to an insemination pipette by attaching a hypodermic to the syringe, inserting the needle into the lumen of the pipette and slip a short, snug-fitting piece of rubber tubing over the pipette and hub of the needle.

  • Insert the pipette into the prepuce up to the fornix.

  • Open the syringe to 7-8 ml and move the pipette 8 to 10 times back forth 15-20 cm in the prepuce. Scrape the mucosa of the penis with the tip of the pipette as you move back and forth. 

  • Release the plunger and withdraw the pipette, It is preferable to get the pipette at least 1/4 full of smegma.

  • Expel 1/2 of the pipette content into the In Pouch medium.
     

• Identify the Pouches and ship pouches to the laboratory by the quickest means available.

• Allow at least ten days for results of the cultures.  Remember that a single negative culture does not provide absolute assurance that the bull is free of Tritrichomonas fetus .

 Courtesy of MVDL