A24-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 15, 2003
Dairy Success Strategy: Watch Overall Herd Health
(Continued from Page A 1)
at the Farm and Home Center.
The theme was “Strategies For
Success.”
What makes BVD so compli
cated and difficult to treat is that
a perfectly healthy cow can carry
an infected fetus. A newborn calf,
infected with BVD, can wreak
havoc on the rest of the herd in a
variety of ways.
BVD can show up in one of
two ways on a dairy farm. It can
exhibit itself as a transient infec
tion (TI), which infects animals
for 2-3 days with diarrhea, of
which cows recover and then be
come immune. It can also show
“Strategies For Success” was the topic of the Lancaster County Dairy Day Mon
day at the Farm and Home Center. Speakers included, from left, Lou Moore, Glenn
Shirk, Vinton Smith, Nevin Dourte, and Bruce Kreider. Photo by Andy Andrews, editor
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up in the more dangerous form,
as persistently or permanently in
fected (PI), contracted by the
fetus beyond the first third term
of pregnancy, and spread after
birth readily throughout the
herd.
BVD is found in 1 percent of
about 5,000 calves, according to
the vet.
With the immune system in
the developing fetus, the virus is
perceived as “normal.” When
born, the calf may be small, a
“poor doer,” said Gardner, or die
at an early age. If the calf sur
vives to breeding age, it can shed
millions of the viruses.
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Producers have to test calves
brought to the farm. That’s why
it is important to test prior to
purchase (at the cost of a $5 viral
isolation lab fee).
If a herd becomes infected,
symptoms may not show until
1.5-2 years. That’s why producers
must test calves with a skin bio
psy from the first day of life.
Gardner provides a simple
caution: if you ever plan to bring
animals to the farm, test them for
BVD.
Gardner provided information
about control of Johne’s Disease
(simple tests for the problem in
addition to keeping young stock
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away from old), and cautioned
that if producers “buy a lot of
cows, you will bring in Johne’s,”
he said.
The calving pen can be the bat
tlefield for preventing spread of
Johne’s on the farm.
Another disease that producers
should be aware of is contagious
mastitis. That includes mycoplas
ma and staph aureus.
Helpful strategies for produc
ers include:
• Culture the bulk tank for
mastitis and BVD
• Look closely at somatic cell
count numbers
• Test regularly for Johne’s
• Test animals for BVD
• Provide sound ventilation
and excellent nutrient programs,
in addition to good cow comfort.
Biosecurity, noted Gardner, is
the buzzword, but the risks are
real. A closed herd can be benefi
cial, but it is most at risk if you
bring in disease, he said.
If you are going to bring in
purchased animals, Gardner has
these tips:
• Test before you buy
• Observe biosecurity with
trucking
• Segregate new animals if
TOULE
(Turn to Page A4O)