Ep. 225 - A Follow-up Investigation of the Reported High Herd Prevalence of Bovine Viral Diarrhea in Dairy Farms in Georgia and Florida

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AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Yung-Yi Mosley from the University of Georgia to discuss a recently published paper from the Bovine Practitioner to study the prevalence of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVD) on Florida and Georgia dairy farms. The purpose of the study was to do a follow-up investigation from a previous study that demonstrated a 38% prevalence of BVDV in those states in 2015-2016.

Mosley walks through a general overview of BVDV including diagnostic testing and clinical syndromes that may result when cattle are infected with BVDV, including the development of a persistently infected animal (PI). She emphasizes that vaccination alone is not an effective control program for most herds and that testing for BVDV in purchased animals and biosecurity practices are important. Mosley stresses that if a producer is introducing pregnant animals, it is critical to not only test the dam, but also the fetus when it is born.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of BVDV in Georgia and Florida dairy farms and determine the circulating BVDV subtype in this region. The study involved 37 farms with a total of 57,000 cows and evaluated 90 samples. The study identified 10% of farms having a positive bulk tank sample. The type of BVDV found was Type 1b. Mosley discusses the significance of this compared to available BVBV vaccines. Mosley also discusses the findings of the survey that was administered to producers participating in the study.

Finally, we discuss how veterinarians can use the information from this study to screen bulk tank milk samples for BVDV. A bulk tank milk sample is a useful screening test and is accurate for up to 1,200 cows to detect a positive. Veterinarians should review their clients' BVDV control programs to evaluate potential risks and implement a comprehensive prevention program.

Links:

A follow-up investigation of the reported high herd prevalence of bovine viral diarrhea in dairy farms in Georgia and Florida. (2025). The Bovine Practitioner, 59(1), 17-23. https://doi.org/10.21423/bpj20259049

Jones A, Ilha M, Berghaus R, et al. Surveillance of bovine viral diarrhea virus antigen in Florida & Georgia dairy herds using bulk tank milk samples. In: 2016 National Institute for Animal Agriculture Annual Conference. 2016.