Prevalence and Epidemiology of agents causing abortions in Irish cattle herds

Abstract

Abortion is commonly referred to for practical purposes as the expulsion of a visible but non-viable foetus (Mee, 2016). Similarly, stillbirths can be defined as the delivery of an anatomically and developmentally viable but dead foetus (McGavin, et al., 2001). On the other hand, early embryonic death may occur without the identification of the pregnancy. This usually occurs up to 42 days of gestation (Mee, 2016).