In response to a rising number of outbreaks of pestivirus — or bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) — Hico Australia hosted a meeting in Warragul, Victoria, for dairy and beef farmers, veterinarians and service providers.
Pestivirus causes abortion in cows, ill-thrift, and diarrhoea and respiratory diseases, including pneumonia, in young animals.
As a result of infection in early foetal life, usually before 100 days gestation, those calves that survive become lifelong carriers of the virus.
Diagnosis is via testing milk from the vat and taking ear notches from, initially, those animals showing symptoms, and may be the entire herd.
Pestigard is the registered vaccine for use in Australia.
See the October issue of Dairy News Australia for more about pestivirus.