BVDv: What is it and where does it come from?
Photos from Nadis website
Rebecca Cavill BVetMed MRCVS
CertAVP (Cattle) PgCert
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BVDv: What is it?
• It is caused by a pestivirus
• It is a virus that causes bovine diarrhoea
(alongside other clinical signs)
• It is estimated that 90% of herds in the UK have
had exposure to BVD (NADIS)
• It can survive in the environment for up to 7days
• It can be eradicated and there are eradication
programmes in Scotland and the EU (Norway,
Sweden, Finland and Denmark are almost free)
• It is shed by persistently infected animals (Pis)
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How does it spread?
• BVD can be spread from animal to animal as easily as the common
cold
• The virus does not persist well in the environment and is most
commonly spread by PIs, however, it can be brought in on
equipment and clothes or by transiently infected animals
• Once animals come across the virus there are two possible results
of infection:
1. Transient infection
2. Persistent infection
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What does it cause?
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BVD causes immunosuppression and this can be present as calves with
pneumonia, scour, ringworm or poor growth rates. In adult cattle you may see
scour, infertility, early embryonic loss (slipping of calving season), abortion,
stunted or deformed calves, birth of dead calves
PI animals can look completely normal or they stick out as poor-doers (the
animal you keep back in each group). They can also develop mucosal disease
which leads to ulcers in the mouth, gut and feet. Mucosal disease is fatal
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Case study:
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Dairy herd which rears bull calves on a rose veal contract
Target is 145kg at 8months
Bonus of 30p/kg over 145kg and 20p/kg between 125-144kg
Vaccinating for BVD
Vaccinates calves with Rispoval 4 (includes BVD)
Buys in calves from tb restricted farm to rear for bull beef contract
In November 2016 increased incidence of pneumonia despite
vaccination 38 cases over two months (compared to 6 in previous two
months)
Respiratory screen which identified a PI
Previously averaging 160.77kg at 8months with 6/41 not reaching
145kg (none not reaching 125kg)
Two further groups slaughtered, pi held back so first group averaged
155.18kg with 5/19 not reaching 145kg (and one of these not reaching
125kg) and second group averaging 144kg with 9/15 not reaching
145kg (2 of these under 125kg)
Mortality in previous 12months 3/120; in this 13months now 6/130 and
2 likely to be culled due to chronic pneumonia & several poor-doers
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How to keep it out:
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Buying in:
Know your sources
Know their status
Quarantine
Don’t forget the bull!!!
Test the dam AND the calf
Vaccinate
Bought-in calves access to early pregnant cows
• Bringing in
 Equipment
 People
• Boundaries
 Nose-to-nose contact
• Cull PIs
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Any questions?
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