BVD Update, Cattle Restraint, Milk System Management At Housing Expo (Continued from Pago At) tests of dead cattle. What has caused a great deal of concern is how difficult it has become to treat BVD Type 2 virus. While the Type 1 virus caused diarrhea and some abortions, the mutated Type 2 virus, present in the current outbreak, is far more serious and deadly. “It’s something we hadn’t seen before,” Sammons told the group. For dairy farmers, treatment must begin immediately. Two shots of the “killed” Type 1 vac cine are i required. “With two shots of Type 1 (vac cine), you get enough antibodies to surround the Type 2 (virus) and prevent it from killing the cow,” said Sammons. “If you only give (the cow) one shot, and Type 2 gets in there, the body doesn’t recog nize it as BVD in time to make antibodies.” Sammons indicated that no live vaccine has been approved for Type 2 B VD, but that several com panies are working on it. For infected herds, Sammons said bringing new animals in from sales has quickly led to the spread of the disease. The disease is spread from animal nose-to-nose. Although it is possible that people can spread the virus to the animals, the person would practically have Dr. Doug Reinemann, underneath pipes, provided a demonstration in properly “tuning” a milk cleaning system check at the expo. A demonstration of a cattle electric walk-through fly trap for the control of face, stable, and horn flies was provided by Bob Bassler, manager, Clarksville facility, Uni versity of Maryland, far left. The walk-through facility brushes off flies, which are then terminated on sideline electrical arc wires. No BVD Epidemic , But Concern Prevails Reinemann indicated that a common problem for clean ing systems Is often too short of a cycling time. Also, the capacity of the milk pump is often the controlling factor on the formation and consisten cy of the slug. Here, he checks data on slug forma tion In the pipeline. to be covered by cow mucus and saliva and then place another cow’s nose into it. The virus “won’t float through the wind with the AI technician or milk inspectors or whatever,” he said. But Sammons emphasized the importance of good biosecurity and keeping visitors to a limit on farms. The extent of the outbreak has kept the state and federal agencies from declaring the BVD outbreak an “epidemic.” According to the veterinarian, “If we can get more than 70 percent of the cows vacci nated twice in a given area, there will not likely be an outbreak, because the virus just doesn’t find enough new cows to keep spreading.” Sammons indicated that veal calf operations are at risk. “The veal industry is indeed experienc ing some BVD problems right now,” he said. “But nobody ever seems to know anything about veal calves when you ask them.” Horses and mules are not at risk of contacting BVD. Sammons said his company uses a viral isolation blood test, with samples sent to Cornell, to detect both types of BVD. The cost is about $S per animal. Initially, the recent outbreak affected IS herds of cattle in Mer cer and Crawford counties. One herd in Lancaster (two cows) are suspected of having acute and pathogenic BVD, according to a release last week from the Pen nsylvania Department of Agricul ture’s Bureau of Animal Industry. The release urged veterinary prac titioners to help prevent further spread of the disease by urging clients to upgrade the BVD 7 / Here, Reinemann uses a vacuum pressure meter to gauge the formation of a milk system cleaning “slug" at the Animal Housing Expo. immune status of their herds by the vaccination program and by dis couraging the movement of sick or exposed animals. The release indicated that clients should be advised to add to their herds only BVD-vaccinated animals from vaccinated herds that have been free of clinical signs of BVD for at least 30 days. Right now, the state’s position on county fairs and shows will require the vaccination program, two shots of the killed vaccine and the second shot given at least two weeks before the fair, said Sam mons. All animals should be exa mined when the come off the truck. “They’re not recommending these fairs be cancelled, that the All American or any of these “There does not appear at this time to be an epidemic rip ping through this area, but we need to be aware," said Dr. Lynn Sammons, veterinarian from Willow Creek Animal Hospital,. Reading. Sammons provided the latest Informa tion about bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) In the region on Tues day during the 1994 Animal Housing Expo. shows be cancelled at this time,” he said. Butler County recently decided to cancel its show and Clarion County has restricted its cattle show participation to entries from county residents, according to a story that appeared in last week’s Lancaster Farming. Sammons said that there was only one confirmed herd in the western Pennsylvania outbreak. He indicated that four more herds are strongly suspected, an addi tional four are possible, and there is one other single cow that’s the extent of the outbreak as of Tuesday. “In western Pennsylvania, they had a herd that lost SI out of 67 cows to this disease,’’ said (Turn to Page A 33)
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