Aftermath of BVD

PatQfarmer

Tested one batch of calves with Enfer tags and 2 came back positive.
Both gone to the calf-shed in the sky.
Took all stock out of the shed they were in, but am tight on space.
How soon can I re-use the "infected" shed?
Will the previously exposed calves be ok to go back into the shed anyway?
One of the posi's looked a runt, but the other was a good animal.
Cost a fortune in the disease they gave to their companions...:(

6480

my neigbhour had two heifer calves postive but is getting them tested again

5live

PatQfarmer wrote: »

Tested one batch of calves with Enfer tags and 2 came back positive.
Both gone to the calf-shed in the sky.
Took all stock out of the shed they were in, but am tight on space.
How soon can I re-use the "infected" shed?
Will the previously exposed calves be ok to go back into the shed anyway?
One of the posi's looked a runt, but the other was a good animal.
Cost a fortune in the disease they gave to their companions...:(

You should retest the positive calves as they may have only picked up the infection from another calf (probably the runt) and would recover and be a normal calf, if a bit behind in weight. The normal calf could be one of those infected after being born and showing positive but would not be a long term risk to other calves while the runt could be a PI which would keep throwing out infection while it was alive. Or both could be positive or negative so you should test again, after a month i think but not sure on that

PatQfarmer

6480 wrote: »

my neigbhour had two heifer calves postive but is getting them tested again

I didn't bother with second test.
When these came they had bad scour.
Then all the other calves in the same shed started getting sick.
Took me a while to "piece it together".
Lab said that they read very high for live virus, while others didn't show signs at all.
Group were together for 8 weeks, so all have been exposed to virus during that time.
Can't wait until it is compulsory to test for it. Terrible, silent disease!

JohnBoy

is it something that can be cleaned from a shed?

power washer followed by hypochlorite, or jeys fluid or something, then power wash again and cover the place in lime?

PatQfarmer

5live wrote: »

You should retest the positive calves as they may have only picked up the infection from another calf (probably the runt) and would recover and be a normal calf, if a bit behind in weight. The normal calf could be one of those infected after being born and showing positive but would not be a long term risk to other calves while the runt could be a PI which would keep throwing out infection while it was alive. Or both could be positive or negative so you should test again, after a month i think but not sure on that

That is why the bloomin' disease is so awkward, loads of permutations.
If the reading had been lower, a re-test may have been the best course of action. Lab reading "very high" for live virus in those 2, others ok.
Technician said that if his, he would get rid immediately.
As I said, all together for 8 weeks, other than scour, they weren't sick.
Everything else had pneumonia, scour, swolen navels, you name it!
Neither of the originating herds have BVD vaccination programs.
At a loss, but am sure herd health will improve from here...(I hope!)

PatQfarmer

JohnBoy wrote: »

is it something that can be cleaned from a shed?

power washer followed by hypochlorite, or jeys fluid or something, then power wash again and cover the place in lime?

I read somewhere that the virus can only live for 3-4 days outside an animal, so perhaps to clean, disinfect and rest for that time.
May get to turn calves out if it stays this mild:)

49801

far as i know bvd is transmitted via nose to nose type contact so you should be ok to use shed.

hopefully the residenat vet on here can confirm.

PatQfarmer

49801 wrote: »

far as i know bvd is transmitted via nose to nose type contact so you should be ok to use shed.

hopefully the residenat vet on here can confirm.

Thanks!
Asked my vet to call Virology Lab.
They said as others were living with PI already, remove all straw, clean drinkers, powerwash, disinfect and put straight back in again.
So busy night ahead:)

greysides

Don't forget, once introduced into a batch of normal calves the virus will circulate in them for a while. Try and keep that bunch together and not intriduce any into it for as long as possible.

The PI was source but the fire may still be burning. Keep calves away from animals going in calf, or in-calf if you have some.

Apart from direct spread the main source of virus would be dung where it would be protected from dessication. So, as said, wash out then disinfect and leave for a while to dry.

PatQfarmer

Thanks greysides.
That raises another issue re the dung.
If stored outside for a few months, could it still harbour infection?

Micheal H

PatQfarmer wrote: »

If stored outside for a few months, could it still harbour infection?

To the best of my knowledge, no it can't. As BVD is a viral infection, it can only survive for a very short time outside a host animal. It would be a different story if it was a bacterial disease. I'm open to correction on this though.

bbam

Micheal H wrote: »

To the best of my knowledge, no it can't. As BVD is a viral infection, it can only survive for a very short time outside a host animal. It would be a different story if it was a bacterial disease. I'm open to correction on this though.

Some information here..
http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/animalhealthwelfare/veterinary/virology/informationaboutdiseases/animalhealth/herdhealth/FAQ-BVDV-HH-BVDVQ1-final.pdf

Off the animal, is BVD hard to kill?
No. BVD virus survives in the environment for no greater than 4 days. It can persist
longer if temperatures are below 10ºC. Most common disinfectants will kill BVD.

just do it

PatQfarmer wrote: »

Neither of the originating herds have BVD vaccination programs.

Does this mean you bought them in? Better let the owners of the cows know as they are most likely PIs as well. How old were they when you tested them?

Have you breeding stock as well?

At least if they are the only two PIs the other calves have transient infections and over time will recover. Pain in the **** dealing with a bunch of calves with scour:(

greysides

just do it wrote: »

Better let the owners of the cows know as they are most likely PIs as well. How old were they when you tested them?

I think that's overstating the odds.

6480

PatQfarmer wrote: »

That is why the bloomin' disease is so awkward, loads of permutations.
If the reading had been lower, a re-test may have been the best course of action. Lab reading "very high" for live virus in those 2, others ok.
Technician said that if his, he would get rid immediately.
As I said, all together for 8 weeks, other than scour, they weren't sick.
Everything else had pneumonia, scour, swolen navels, you name it!
Neither of the originating herds have BVD vaccination programs.
At a loss, but am sure herd health will improve from here...(I hope!)

you should go back to where u bought those calves and get a refund

island of tighe

i was surprised to read in the journal yesterday that only approx 300 from approx 24000 calves tested positive for bvd so far.this is a lot lower than was expected.i havent started testing here yet,still waiting for tags.on the disease front i powerwash all the sheds here twice a year and disenfect with sorgene s.it is expensive at 69 euro per gallon can but i find it excellent

greysides

It is a voluntary scheme this year, those involved are likely to more conscientious about disease than those not involved..............????

island of tighe

perhaps this may be true greysides but their was talk of anything up to 17% of herds with pi calves.these figures are a long way off that

LostCovey

About 1% of animals are PIs. Maybe a bit less. That was always said, and the first batch of tests bear this out. There's nothing new there.

Who predicted 17% - that was never going to happen. This is going exactly as they predicted.

BVD comes in on foot.

Relax on the disinfection, all the big risks are through buying/mixing stock.

I am not an expert on this, I have just read and read.

LC

greysides

I got off my arse and looked this up...........

Various studies from Europe have estimated the prevalence of BVD virus positive
animals to be between 0.75% and 1.4% (Edwards et al, 1987; Schreibber et al., 1999;
Houe et al., 1991; Liess et al., 1987; and Polak et al., 1999). Data from Ireland are
broadly in agreement with these figures, where a 0.6% animal level has been reported
in a convenience sample (O’Neill et al., 2009). The maximum national prevalence of
PI cattle is not likely to exceed 2% (Houe, 1999). The BVD prevalence in Ireland is
unlikely to be greatly different from that of many countries with intensive livestock
production when their eradication programmes commenced.

I make the prevalence on those figures 300/24000 to be 1.25%.

4. What proportion of tested calves will be PIs?
Data from a range of international surveys indicate that the prevalence of PI animals typically lies between 0.5 and 2% at the national herd level. There is no formal published data available on the prevalence of PI animals in Ireland but the BVDBuinneach Víreasach Bhólachta Implementation Group is currently using an estimate of 0.75% of animals being PI.

http://www.animalhealthireland.ie/page.php?id=94

LostCovey

and what's more that 1% of calves might not be evenly distributed. Someone with an outbreak might have a dozen

LC

PatQfarmer

just do it wrote: »

Does this mean you bought them in? Better let the owners of the cows know as they are most likely PIs as well. How old were they when you tested them?

Have you breeding stock as well?

At least if they are the only two PIs the other calves have transient infections and over time will recover. Pain in the **** dealing with a bunch of calves with scour:(

Yes they were bought in, from 2 different herds.
We rear calves here, only 2 heifers that I will breed with this year and they will be vaccinated before insemination.
Have told original owners, they are surprised, but then, the more I learn about BVD, the more I see that it is almost impossible to keep out.
One of the herds vaccinated all breeding stock, but still produced a PI.
Unexplained.
Both offered to repay the calf-cost to me.

PatQfarmer

6480 wrote: »

you should go back to where u bought those calves and get a refund

I've been promised one...awaiting cheques. Although they "cost" me a lot more than their original price, in sickness they propagated throughout the rest of the calves.

PatQfarmer

greysides wrote: »

It is a voluntary scheme this year, those involved are likely to more conscientious about disease than those not involved..............????

Agreed. The ones testing so far probably all have vaccination programs in place.
Loads of farms with no program at all...

pakalasa

For those at a calf sale already this year - Are there many BVD tags to be seen?

Also what happens if a calf looses his tag? I had one pull one off after about a week last year.

I see you can now pay Enfer on line with credit card. It's about time Mullinahone Coop started on-line payment too, for regular calf tags.

greysides

PatQfarmer wrote: »

...the more I see that it is almost impossible to keep out.

Biosecurity is an important component of all control campaigns but your observation is the reason that vaccination has always been advised.

One of the herds vaccinated all breeding stock, but still produced a PI.
Unexplained.

A lot of herds just started vaccinating without getting rid of PIs first. PIs are so infectious that they can overcome the protection offered by the vaccine.
Having said that it's still possible for a PI to be produced with everything done properly (PIs removed and vaccination). That's the measure of the disease we're dealing with.

Farmer Pudsey

Pat you should have retested to make sure that they were both PI only one of them might have beeen PI. also the farmer who you purchassed them off should then test their mothers.
When you test for BVB only calves infected will show up alot of these will be PI now if you test 10000 calves in 1000 herds and 100 are infected they could be in 70 herds so you now see even if you only have a 1% infection rate in calves your herd infection rate could be in the 10%+++ barcket especially next year when all Breeding herds have to test

6480

PatQfarmer wrote: »

Agreed. The ones testing so far probably all have vaccination programs in place.
Loads of farms with no program at all...

my neighbour bought calves the other day but he gets them blood tested for bvd before he lets them go with his other calves

LostCovey

6480 wrote: »

my neighbour bought calves the other day but he gets them blood tested for bvd before he lets them go with his other calves

That will work, but only if his biosecurity is NASA standard.

If he brings a bucket or a wellington from one group to another he could transfer it (having said that nothing like the risk of direct contact).

If I was him I would vaccinate too.

PatQfarmer

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

Pat you should have retested to make sure that they were both PI only one of them might have beeen PI. also the farmer who you purchassed them off should then test their mothers.
When you test for BVB only calves infected will show up alot of these will be PI now if you test 10000 calves in 1000 herds and 100 are infected they could be in 70 herds so you now see even if you only have a 1% infection rate in calves your herd infection rate could be in the 10%+++ barcket especially next year when all Breeding herds have to test

In normal circumstances, I'd agree, but these calves had been together for 9 weeks and all would have been exposed to virus and had TI.
The 2 with the live virus were definitely PI, so rather than keep them on farm for another 3-4 weeks, infecting everything around them, I preferred to get shut of them.
Might have been different if they were bigger animals.

I'd say there will be devastation in some herds next year!

PatQfarmer

6480 wrote: »

my neighbour bought calves the other day but he gets them blood tested for bvd before he lets them go with his other calves

I've started ear notching calves in the originating farmers herd, before they come to me. 3 day turnaround with Enfer. If clear, then vaccinate for IBR in his yard also. No one has had an issue with this yet.:)

ddogsbollix

whats the story with price.... i know the tags cost 1.57 per tag but how much per calf does it cost to examine the sample from the ear in the lab??

5live

ddogsbollix wrote: »

whats the story with price.... i know the tags cost 1.57 per tag but how much per calf does it cost to examine the sample from the ear in the lab??

3 euro 60c is the cheapest ive got quoted so far from Enfer. And dont forget the 22 euro for the tagger too, its different to the normal tagger

pakalasa

Prices for the actual testing are here.

You can pay Enfer on-line now with a credit card. You can pay them for a group of tests. You can then send them the tags, in smaller groups as they become ready. No having to write checks every time you send tags away. Handy.....

http://www.animalhealthireland.ie/ckfinder/userfiles/files/20120105%20BVDLABDESv2_0.pdf

PatQfarmer

5live wrote: »

3 euro 60c is the cheapest ive got quoted so far from Enfer. And dont forget the 22 euro for the tagger too, its different to the normal tagger

Presume that's if you source tag elsewhere?
I'm paying Enfer €5.60 for tag and test.

5live

PatQfarmer wrote: »

Presume that's if you source tag elsewhere?
I'm paying Enfer €5.60 for tag and test.

Yeah, its the Mullinahone tag

PatQfarmer

Two weeks passed today since I took out 2 PI's. Change in health status of other calves is amazing!
Only needle they've seen is Blackleg vac. having been needling on almost daily basis while PI's in herd.
Can't stress enough the improvement! Well worth the money spent to tag the entire herd and dispose of the positives.
Only downside is that despite promises, breeders of calves yet to send cheques for price of calf:(
If delaying, don't! Test your stock as soon as possible.

just do it

PatQfarmer wrote: »

Two weeks passed today since I took out 2 PI's. Change in health status of other calves is amazing!
Only needle they've seen is Blackleg vac. having been needling on almost daily basis while PI's in herd.

WOW!!

Great to hear it in practice rather than just in theory. Thanks for sharing your experiences here Pat - definitely on the long run you'll save by having culled the 2 PIs!

I tagged my first calf Wednesday night by the way. Turned him and the cow out today to take in a bit of the sunshine;)

PatQfarmer

just do it wrote: »

WOW!!

Great to hear it in practice rather than just in theory. Thanks for sharing your experiences here Pat - definitely on the long run you'll save by having culled the 2 PIs!

I tagged my first calf Wednesday night by the way. Turned him and the cow out today to take in a bit of the sunshine;)

Thanks, hope the message gets out there!
Great weather for them being out! All my weanlings out for the past 2 weeks, some in by night.
Best of luck:)

snowman707

PatQfarmer wrote: »

Two weeks passed today since I took out 2 PI's. Change in health status of other calves is amazing!
Only needle they've seen is Blackleg vac. having been needling on almost daily basis while PI's in herd.
Can't stress enough the improvement! Well worth the money spent to tag the entire herd and dispose of the positives.
Only downside is that despite promises, breeders of calves yet to send cheques for price of calf:(
If delaying, don't! Test your stock as soon as possible.

we have encountered bvd and ibr on a few occasions and totally agree with you,... it's not the animal you lose but the others that cost you big time, vet calls, ill thrift etc etc all add up