Posted by Dr. Steve Dudley on June 11 2009 10:50
- All cows/heifers/bulls (i.e. ALL animals on the farm) need to be tested.
- Take an ear notch sample from each animal. Notch the ear at the bottom of the ear as per the following diagram. The ear notch needs to be small enough to fit into the container provided (about the size of the picture below). Place the notch in the container provided. These containers contain formalin. Make sure the notch is completely covered by formalin. Label the container with the ID of the animal tested.
- Containers should be well packaged in plastic lined boxes that were sent to you. Send the box back to the Veterinary Medical Center via OVERNIGHT mail. It is important for the samples to reach the VMC the next day in order to get good test results.
Animals that test positive as Persistently Infected (PI) animals will need to be sold immediately. BVD PI animals were infected with the virus in utero and continue to shed virus for their entire lives. They will not stop shedding with vaccination.
For one year all calves born on the farm need to be tested. The mother may have been infected while she was pregnant so there is the possibility that these calves will be positive.
Purchased Animals:
ALL purchased replacement animals also need to be tested. It is important that the samples are sent to the lab the day they are taken. This will help ensure accurate test results.
Purchased replacements also need to be vaccinated on arrival.
If they are pregnant:
- On arrival—Virashield 5 + VL5
- 2-3 weeks later—Repeat Virashield 5 + VL5
If they are open:
- On arrival—Pregguard 9
- 2-3 weeks later—Repeat Pregguard 9
Updated Herd BVD Vaccination Program
- Ten-12 days after freshening vaccinate cows with Pregguard 9. This will provide modified live viral protection against IBR, PI3 and BVD (Type 1 and 2) and killed protection against lepto and vibrio.
- At dry-off give Virashield 5-VL5. The killed viral protection against IBR, PI3, and BVD will enhance their protection going into the dry period.