Health
24-09-2012
Respiratory disease calves due to BVD
Bovine Virus Diarrhoea (BVD) is a viral disorder which at calves mainly respiratory disease, that is airway problems, causes.
Definition
Bovine Virus Diarrhoea (BVD) is a viral disorder which at calves mainly respiratory disease, that is airway problems, causes. The BVD virus can also harm the alimentary canal. What are BVD carriers?BVD carriers are the calves that in the beginning of the pregnancy (between 30 and 150 days) in the womb of the cow were in touch with this BVD virus. Because these calves see the BVD virus as their own body protein, they will not form antibodies against the virus. BVD carriers excrete constantly big quantities of viruses and form a big infection source for the other animals at the farm.
Cause
The initiator of the Bovine Virus Diarrhoea is a RNA containing Toga virus, which belongs to the Pesti virus.Description
The symptoms of a BVD infection can, without symptoms, develop from very mild to serious. Mild gradiƫntAt a mild gradient there can be fever, loss of appetite, lethargy, watery nasal discharge and possibly an accelerated breathing. Severe gradient
In the event of a serious gradient the airways of calves are mainly harmed. In addition, by superficial mucosa damage on the nose, in the mouth (gums in particular around the incisors, the toothless part, the bottom edge of the tongue and the cheeks) and the alimentary canal get the calves serious hyper salivation and diarrhoea. The diarrhoea can be very thin watery and the colours yellow brown to grey green. Also the stools can contain blood and mucus. In this phase symptoms of dehydration and mortality can occur. Rough pelage, bad growth
About 50% of the BVD carriers look normal. The other BVD carriers are most of the time small calves with a rough pelage and a bad growth. The most BVD carriers die too early. BVD carriers excrete constantly big quantities of viruses and in that way they create a high infection pressure at the farm.
Treatment
Virus diseases cannot be treated. With the exception of the BVD carriers the infected calves shall form antibodies as soon as they go through this infection. Through the blood tapping of the animals the virus can be demonstrated and carriers be detected.<link http: www.alpurobreeding.nl.w9.exxtra.net gezondheid kalveren gezondheidshandboek ademhalingsziekten artikel ademhalingsziekte external-link-new-window>Voor een algemene aanpak van ademhalingsziekte, lees deze informatie.