BRUCELLOSIS

Brucellosis is a venereal disease that can make rams permanently infertile. It's passed from ram to ram or ram to ewe to ram through sexual activity. Unlike the rams, ewes are usually only temporarily infectious.

Brucellosis causes an enlargement of the epididymis, or long, coiled tubes that store sperm in the testicles. It can be positively identified (or eliminated) by a blood test for the Brucella ovis bacteria.

There's no treatment. Infected rams need to be culled. It's recommended all rams on the same property are also culled, and neighbours advised to test for it.

The disease is not carried season to season in the ewes, so they can be mated to a new ram the following year.