Establishing a pilot bovine viral diarrhoea virus eradication scheme in Somerset

• Published in: Veterinary record Vol. 170; no. 3; p. 73
• Main Authors: Booth, R. E., Brownlie, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group Limited 21.01.2012; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Age Factors; Agriculture; Animals; Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease - diagnosis; Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease - epidemiology; Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease - prevention & control; Cattle; Diarrhea Viruses, Bovine Viral - immunology; Diarrhea Viruses, Bovine Viral - isolation & purification; England - epidemiology; Epidemiology; Farmers; Farms; Female; Immunization; Incidence; Infections; Laboratories; Male; Milk; Pilot Projects; Quarantine; Vaccination - veterinary; Vaccines; England; United Kingdom > UK; Scotland
• ISSN: 0042-4900; 2042-7670
• DOI: 10.1136/vr.100191

Beginning in April 2006, 41 farms were recruited onto a pilot Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) eradication programme across the south of England with the majority of study herds concentrated in Somerset. Each herd was assessed and where relevant cleared of persistently infected (PI) animals. Seven farms dropped out before whole herd screening could be performed. Of the remaining 34 farms, 20 (59 per cent) were classified as infected although two of these were initially misclassified as BVDV-free. Over the course of three years, 61 PIs were identified across 16 of the 20 infected farms. 72 per cent of PIs indentified on the first herd test were below two years of age. PI prevalence ranged from 0.2 to 3.1 per cent of infected herds and was highest in herds that did not vaccinate. By the end of 2009, 24/34 (71 per cent) of study farms were BVDV-free while 10 (29 per cent) remained infected.