AVA Conference Adelaide 2016

Much has been published surrounding the impact of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea virus (BVDV) on reproduction and fertility, but there is a paucity of information, under Australian conditions, which describes the effect of exposure to BVDV on production. The impact of BVDV on liveweight gains in weaner calves, and whether vaccination with Pestigard™ (Zoetis Australia) would mitigate against any impact, was assessed in two BVDV endemically infected herds during 2015. This paper assesses the effect of exposure to pestivirus in either vaccinated or unvaccinated weaner cattle over a nine month period. In one herd, 400 weaners (200 heifers and 200 steers) were weighed on 7 different occasions, while in the 2nd herd 120 heifers were weighed at the beginning and the end of the trial. Comparisons are made between vaccinated and control animals, and by serological status, to more accurately assess any impacts of exposure to pestivirus. Exposure to pestivirus generally had little impact on the growth rate of weaner cattle, contrary to many previous assertions. The implications of the findings are discussed in relation to on-farm control.