Bacterial isolates associated with epididymitis in rams from Idaho and eastern Oregon flocks

Testicles from 47 rams with palpable lesions of epididymitis were subjected to bacterial culture. Of the testicles examined by culture technique, 49% were positive for bacterial growth. The 2 most frequent isolates were Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (23.4% of the testicular pairs) and Brucella ovis (14.9% of the testicular pairs). Heretofore A actinomycetem-comitans has not been reported as a cause of epididymitis in rams.