PCR DETECTION OF GENITAL INFECTIONS IN BULL SEMEN FROM DIFFERENT REGIONS OF UKRAINE, 2013 - 2016

Th e most important infectious diseases that aff ect fertility of the bull via semen are reviewed in this article. Th e article describes the results of a study of cryopreserved semen samples from diff erent regions of Ukraine for the period 2013 to 2016. Th e strategy of regular testing of semen donors under offi cial veterinary supervision has been adopted by governments worldwide as a means of avoiding the spread of pathogens and reducing excessive contamination of semen by ubiquitous bacteria and viruses. During this period, four hundred fi ft y (n=450) bull semen samples from 10 farms across Ukraine have been tested, PCR diagnostics was performed by the standard method developed in NSC «IECVM». According to the PCR analysis of cryopreserved semen from the bull-sires, 19 samples (6%) from Kharkiv region contained genetic material of Mycoplasma spp., 2 samples from Poltava region (3.5%) were positive for BoHV-1, and 2 samples from Cherkasy region (4.5%) contained genetic material of Chlamydia spp. Based on the obtained results we can conclude that it is necessary to permanently perform PCR screening of bulls semen.