Staying on Top of BVDV

Just a few short years ago Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) was a buzzword in the beef industry — with the disease commanding headlines and garnering action from beef producers to test and control it in their cattle herds. Today, some of that focus seems to have faded, but veterinarians say that does not mean the battle against BVD control has been won. They remind cattle producers that it is still important to stay on top of BVDV and biosecurity methods to keep cattle at the farm or ranch and in the feedlot protected. David Smith, a professor and Extension dairy/beef veterinarian at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, explains that awareness of BVD was high a few years ago, which he attributes to the new testing capabilities — specifically ear notch tests — that allowed for easier detection of animals persistently infected with the BVD virus.