Livestock Management RANCHING
Bovine Viral Diarrhea — Be BVD Aware By Kristin Hawkins
B
OVINE VIRAL DIARRHEA (BVD) IS A VIRAL DISEASE OF cattle and other ruminants that, if it infects your herd, can have dire consequences for your op-
eration’s bottom line. It can be tricky to detect until it’s too late, both for individual animals and your herd as a whole. According to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health In-
spection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, BVD’s most common affects are respiratory and reproductive problems, with reproductive disorders causing the most economic losses. All cattle can become infected with BVD by coming
in contact with an animal carrying the virus, result- ing in an acute, or recently acquired, case. While this infection is usually not fatal in itself, the animal will be susceptible to other infections and disease while its immune system works to fi ght the BVD virus. An ac- quired infection may also cause infertility, abortion and congenital defects if a cow is infected during breeding season or while pregnant. Transmission may also occur from an infected dam
to the fetus, sometimes resulting in the live birth of an infected calf. The infection in this calf will persist throughout its lifetime — called a persistent infection, or PI — and they will shed the virus continuously. These calves may appear normal and otherwise healthy. Signs of an animal with an acute BVD infection
58 The Cattleman August 2015
can include fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, eye and/or nasal discharge, oral lesions, diarrhea, decreased milk production and respiratory problems. The best ways to ensure your herd doesn’t fall prey to BVD is through detection and control of infected animals and preven- tion of future infections.
Hard to spot, easy to fi nd The clinical signs of a BVD infection can be wide-
ranging; exhibiting anywhere from no discernable sick- ness to very severe illness, ending in the death of the animal. Your best partner in BVD testing, identifi cation and eradication is your veterinarian. They can help you determine the best plan for your herd, especially if BVD is suspected. And even if your herd is given the all-clear, they can help develop a good prevention strategy. Many laboratory tests are available to cattle raisers
if the herd is suspected to be harboring a BVD infection or if you want to confi rm it is clear. Consult your veteri- narian and approved laboratory for the test that would work best for your herd size and situation.
Prevention and eradication Vaccination is a good tool to use to prevent and control
herd infection or transmission to non-infected animals. Consult with your veterinarian on which vaccination program would work best in your herd. Some vaccina-
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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