BED PI testing

[Aaron]

Anyone testing for BVD PI? Looking for thoughts and ideas. Had a calf test positive in the feedlot so gonna start testing the herd.

Think about it from time to time, but with a live vaccination program across the entire herd, I really have nothing to worry about.

Tell me more about the vaccination program

All cows, bulls and yearling heifers get Bovishield Gold FP5 VL5 pre-breeding every year.

Calves get Resvac 4/Somubac pre-weaning.

 

[Bright Raven]

Think about it from time to time, but with a live vaccination program across the entire herd, I really have nothing to worry about.

Tell me more about the vaccination program

All cows, bulls and yearling heifers get Bovishield Gold FP5 VL5 pre-breeding every year.

Calves get Resvac 4/Somubac pre-weaning.

All of mine get BSG FP 5 VL5. Everything, even bulls developed for seedstock. Calves also get Inforce 3 at birth which covers BRSV, IBR AND PARA INFLUENZA.

Plus Covexin 8 and autogenous Pinkeye.

 

[wbvs58]

Anyone testing for BVD PI? Looking for thoughts and ideas. Had a calf test positive in the feedlot so gonna start testing the herd.

I do. Would only test if you test them all and plan to weed them out. Had several positives with no symptoms but infect to whole woodpile.

I will weed them out for sure. But from what I read some of the pregnant cows that test negative may have a positive calf. And where did i pick it up to begin with. I can test calves I buy, no big deal but testing the cows may not solve the problem.I
The positive one has been disposed of. I will send the buyer a refund.

Kenny, you just answered your question in the next sentence, in the calves that you buy.

I might be wrong but my understanding is that you trade a few cattle, if so you are always at risk of buying a PI. Your best defence will be in a vaccination programme of your heifers you keep. The first cow to test would be the mother of that calf that was a PI as a cow that is a PI will always produce a PI calf.

Ken

 

[wbvs58]

Anyone testing for BVD PI? Looking for thoughts and ideas. Had a calf test positive in the feedlot so gonna start testing the herd.

Not here. I tested one calf for BVD a few years ago. It was negative. Not a bad idea if your herd was exposed.

Ron, I am surprised that you don't have to test for PI's when you sell your heifers through that Kentucky tobacco money scheme. They seem to have very strict requirements. I know you vaccinate but I would have thought they would require them tested.

Ken

 

[Bright Raven]

Anyone testing for BVD PI? Looking for thoughts and ideas. Had a calf test positive in the feedlot so gonna start testing the herd.

Not here. I tested one calf for BVD a few years ago. It was negative. Not a bad idea if your herd was exposed.

Ron, I am surprised that you don't have to test for PI's when you sell your heifers through that Kentucky tobacco money scheme. They seem to have very strict requirements. I know you vaccinate but I would have thought they would require them tested.

Ken

The CAIP program has a lot of requirements but it does not require a BVD test. I know some seedstock producers who test everything they sell for BVD. It is not a bad idea as it could be a serious liability to send a seedstock animal into a buyer's herd.

 

[Dave]

I PI tested every year when I was raising bred heifers. I got the supplies from WSU. It was pretty simple. I took a notch out of the ear, Put it into a vial that had a bar code. Wrote the ear tag number down on the paper work on the line that matched the bar code on the vial. Sent it off to WSU. It cost $3.50 a head if I remember correctly. Out of 250+ head I had one positive. That positive was separated into a pen where I fed her out. I ate her. I wouldn't sell a PI positive that would just help to spread the infection.

 

[kenny thomas]

I'm getting more info but there is now a home kit offered. Results in a moment

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I test all my bull and heifer calves. All cattle shown have to be tested. I have an ear notcher, so I do my own. I just put each one in a zip lock bag with the ID info on the bag.
The way I understand it: If a cow gets BVD while she is in a certain stage of pregnancy (like after 100 days???), then her unborn calf can get it. "MOST" are aborted or born dead or die shortly after birth. IF they are born healthy and live, as mentioned, they shed for life.
I vaccinate all calves at age 3 mo, 6 mo & about 9 mo. with BoviSh 5L5 HB - then they get it once a year. And, yes, I also give Inforce 3 at birth. Only nasal vaccine products are effective at birth.

 

[gcreekrch]

I test all my bull and heifer calves. All cattle shown have to be tested. I have an ear notcher, so I do my own. I just put each one in a zip lock bag with the ID info on the bag.
The way I understand it: If a cow gets BVD while she is in a certain stage of pregnancy (like after 100 days???), then her unborn calf can get it. "MOST" are aborted or born dead or die shortly after birth. IF they are born healthy and live, as mentioned, they shed for life.
I vaccinate all calves at age 3 mo, 6 mo & about 9 mo. with BoviSh 5L5 HB - then they get it once a year. And, yes, I also give Inforce 3 at birth. Only nasal vaccine products are effective at birth.

There ya go Kenny, test and then get yourself on a vaccination regime. If you are bringing in calves or non pregnant animals vaccinate with a live. If you are bringing in bred cattle, vaccinate with a killed until they have calved, then use a live on them.


As always, no matter how hard we try, we can't kill them all......

 

[gizmom]

Kenny

We test our entire calf crop at weaning. We debated weather to do it this year and decided to go ahead and continue doing it. I think our customers like to know that these calves have all tested clean from PI.

Gizmom

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I have never had one test positive. I do it for show and sales. Once an animal is tested negative - it is negative for life. It can only be a PI from getting infected as a fetus.

 

[gizmom]

We have never had one test positive. Our vet gets us test tubes and paperwork notch each calf's ear, which bleed and makes it really simple to get my blood sample on the DNA card. Much easier getting blood that way than having to draw it from the tail. Win win.

Gizmom

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

We have never had one test positive. Our vet gets us test tubes and paperwork notch each calf's ear, which bleed and makes it really simple to get my blood sample on the DNA card. Much easier getting blood that way than having to draw it from the tail. Win win.

Gizmom

I don't use blood cards - just ear notch. Test can be run on either one.