The experimental production of mastitis in ewes as a determinant of the virulence of ovine ureaplasma strains.

Seven out of eight ovine ureaplasma strains inoculated into the mammary gland of suckling ewes produced a mastitis. The pattern of infection was single phase in 5 ewes, persisting for 12-41 days, and biphasic in 3 ewes, persisting in 2 of them until weaning at 60 days and 3 months post-infection. Sucking lambs did not become infected in the eye or nasal areas, and did not transfer infection to the control contralateral glands.