Veterinary Preventive Medicine-II

PREVENTION AND CONTROL

Control

• Primary goal of a control strategy is removal of persistently infected animals from a herd.
• All cattle should be screened for the virus including calves born in the herd for nine months after initiation the programme.
• Newly introduced animals should be tested for the disease before their introduction. Quarantine period for newly purchased animals is 30 days.
• Strict managemental practices.
• Replacement animals especially breeding bulls.
• Cattle should not be allowed to mix with sheep and goats

Vaccination

• Modified Live BVD vaccine - Not recommended for pregnant cattle or in stressed populations
• Killed BVD vaccine, which is safer for administration even to pregnant cattle. A booster dose after 3 to 4 weeks of initial vaccination.
• Calves should be vaccinated at 4-6 months of age and again when they are 8-12 months old.
• Calves less than three months of age generally not vaccinated because of potential vaccination failure associated with the presence of colostral immunity.
• Heifers and cows should be revaccinated 30-60 days before breeding and booster dose one month before calving or in the last trimester.