Pestivirus sessions examine the hidden syndrome
The Central West Livestock Health and Pest Authority is encouraging cattle producers to attend upcoming pestivirus information sessions aimed at providing producers with the latest information on this important reproductive disease.
The information sessions will include veterinary information from Central West LHPA district vet, Dr Jillian Kelly and vaccination advice from Pfizer representative Daniel Guest. These will be held at the Nyngan LHPA office on Tuesday 26 July and the Warren Bowling Club on Monday 1 August, with both starting at 9:30am. RSVP to the Nyngan LHPA office on 6832 1008.
"There are many causes of poor reproductive rates in cattle herds – nutrition, management and bull fertility all play a big part. But so can reproductive diseases such as Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV), also known as Pestivirus," said Dr Kelly.
"It is estimated that BVDV is circulating in around 90% of beef herds, and this is certainly the incidence that we are detecting in the central west.
"As BVDV is so prevalent, and chances are it is circulating in your herd, it is a disease worth knowing more about – so make sure you come along to one of the information sessions."
BVDV is spread in a herd by carrier animals called Persistently Infected (or PI) animals. A developing foetus which is exposed to the virus between 30 and 125 days of gestation can maintain the infection for life and become a PI. Spread to other animals is by direct contact with the PI or with its secretions.
Dr Kelly said a vaccine is available to control pestivirus, but knowing the status of your herd is important before taking any management steps.
"Identifying PIs has become more farmer friendly in the past 12 months," she said.
"Tail hair samples and skin samples (e.g., an ear notch) from suspect animals can now be used to identify PIs. These samples don’t have to be refrigerated and they can be dropped into the local vet clinic or LHPA days after collection.
"As BVDV presents so differently in each herd situation, it is very difficult to put a dollar value on the economic impact of the disease. However a recent study showed that a BVDV outbreak in a herd of 250 cows with no previous immunity cost approximately $60,000 or an average annual loss of $30 per cow, and it took the breeding herd 8 years to fully recover."
Contact your local LHPA district vet or private practitioner for more information on BVDV, or to discuss how it relates to your individual herd.
Media contact: Kylie Dunn 6391 3720 / 0428 465 378