The physiological and serological properties of 153 strains of Streptococcus bovis isolated from cattle and sheep have been studied. With 12 specific antisera it was possible to type 75 of the isolates. Neither the fermentation of arabinose nor of raffinose was related to type specificity. The only strain fermenting mannitol was serologically distinct from all the other strains, and the type antigen was probably located on the cell wall whereas with the other 11 types it was capsular. The distribution of these types in cattle and sheep has been determined together with their changes in individual cows sampled on three occasions over 18 months.

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Numbers and types of Lancefield group D streptococci have been determined in samples from the colons of 17 cattle and 9 sheep. Mean total streptococcal counts of 8 × 104/g in cattle and 2 × 106/g in sheep were obtained. Streptococcus bovis was found in every sample and was the predominant species in 15 of the cattle and 6 of the sheep. Other group D streptococci (Strep. faecalis, Strep. faecium and Strep. durans) were rare in cattle, but in sheep they formed a significant proportion of the population. Of 60 Strep. faecium, Strep. durans and related strains, 51 fermented raffinose. Many of the strains of Strep. faecium were also atypical in that they fermented sorbitol and appreciably reduced tetrazolium in broth at pH 6.0. Strep. bovis remained the predominant streptococcus in faeces samples from 4 dairy cows when they were tested again after an interval of 17 and 18 months.