National Infectious Disease Check

Monitoring and controlling key diseases like bovine viral diarrhoea, leptospirosis and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis through a thorough testing programme is essential for farm profitability.

Farmers Weekly, supported by Intervet/Schering Plough, is featuring details of each of these three cattle diseases.

Click on the links below to find out more.

National Infectious Disease Check is an initiative run by, Intervet/Schering Plough. This series of articles produced in partnership with Farmers Weekly will highlight the effects of three key cattle diseases, bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), leptospirosis and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR).
Farmers who believe their herd may have been exposed to BVD, Leptospirosis or IBR are urged to talk to their vet. Selected practices will be offering subsidised bulk milk or blood sampling - DairyCheck or BeefCheck – from Intervet/Schering Plough.

Case study - Leptospirosis vaccinations prove vital in preventing abortion losses

Disease control is vital to maximise economic performance, says beef farmer Johnny McCririck, Whitmuirhaugh, Kelso.

Case study - Controlling bovine viral diarrhoea in the dairy herd

Identifying BVD through bulk milk testing has helped a Somerset dairy farmer improve calf health and fertility.

Case study - Controlling leptospirosis in dairy herds

Calving two spring-calving herds in as tight a block as possible is essential for dairy farmer, Robert Wain, Simonswood Farm, Macclesfield so, when empty rates reached 25%, the farm was keen to tackle the problem head on.

Case study - Controlling IBR in the beef herd

Testing for disease is as much about identifying the absence of disease as the presence, according to Surrey beef farmer Angus Stovold.

Case study - Controlling BVD in the beef herd

With persistently infected animals responsible for 85% of BVD transmission, culling these animals and protecting breeding stock through vaccination is essential to control disease spread.

Case study - Controlling IBR in the dairy herd

Disease is hugely costly in terms of reduced health and productivity, but for one Shropshire dairy farmer, IBR infection has equated to a £50,000 loss from reduced milk production, increased cow treatments and mortality. However, a regular testing and vaccination programme has put a halt to spiralling costs.

Leptospirosis

Caused by a bacterium that lives in the kidneys Leptospirosis can reduce productivity in beef herds. In dairy herds it can cause infertility, abortion and sudden milk drop.

Bovine viral diarrhoea

This viral disease can cause increased abortion rates and makes animals more susceptible to pneumonia and neospora.

Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis IBR

IBR, which is caused by the herpes virus, is a significant cause of pneumonia and mortality in weaned beef calves.