Final answer:
The claim that IBR is a sexually transmitted disease is false. While IBR can affect mature cows and bulls and can lead to reproductive disease, it is not classified as a sexually transmitted infection but is transmitted through other means such as respiratory secretions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that IBR is a sexually transmitted disease is false. Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR), typically caused by Bovine Herpesvirus 1, is not considered a sexually transmitted disease (STD) but can be transmitted through various means, including respiratory secretions and direct contact. IBR can affect cattle, causing respiratory disease, abortions, and systemic infections. It can indeed be more common in mature cows and bulls because of their increased exposure to the virus during transport, co-mingling, or breeding activities.
Concerning the provided reference, although brucellosis is a facultative intracellular bacteria transmitted by contaminated milk and can affect the reproductive tract of cattle, this is a separate condition from IBR. Brucellosis can also be transmitted to humans and cause fever and other systemic symptoms. It's important to note that there are bacterial reproductive tract infections that can be sexually transmitted in humans, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, but IBR does not fall into this category for cattle.