Table 1.

Set-up of the experimental Mycoplasma agalactiae conjunctival and intramammary route infection

Groups	Positive control	Negative control	Phase-locked mutants
Antigen	M. agalactiae PG2	Pyrogen-free saline	M. agalactiae Vpma phase-locked mutants: PLMU & PLMY
Inoculum	109	–	5 × 108 each mutant (total 109)
Volume of Inoculum	120 μL – conjunctival or 5 mL – intramammary	120 μL – conjunctival or 5 mL – intramammary	120 μL – conjunctival or 5 mL – intramammary
Animals	5 lambs – conjunctival or 5 lactating ewes – intramammary	5 lambs – conjunctival or 5 lactating ewes – intramammary	5 lambs – conjunctival or 5 lactating ewes – intramammary
Necropsy Day 20 (conjunctival) and Day 28 (intramammary) postinoculation