A survey of Theileria sergenti infection, daily weight gain and conception proportions in 85 herds of grazing heifers in Japan.

A survey of Theileria sergenti infections, daily weight gain and conception proportion was conducted in 85 herds of grazing heifers in Japan. Basic information and epidemiological data from participating herds were obtained by mailed questionnaires, which were completed by field veterinarians. The average cumulative incidence and proportion of treated animals in the participating herds were 25.7 and 21.1%, respectively. The average daily weight gain and conception proportion were 0.51 kg per day and 56.9%, respectively. The basic information and epidemiological data had a large range and standard deviation, which reflect the wide diversity of the grazing herds in Japan. Herds with heavy tick infestation had significantly higher cumulative incidence and proportion of treated animals, therefore, this factor can be a good estimator to predict the occurrence and loss by theileriosis of the herds. The present questionnaire survey was useful for obtaining information about herds in different regions, and this survey method can be applied to the research of other animal diseases in Japan.