BVDV
Want to test for BVD on-farm? Use this cow side PI test!
Persistently Infected (PI) cows are lifelong carriers of the BVD virus and shed hundreds of thousands of virus particles. Enough to overwhelm the immune system of animals they come into contact with (and even enough to overwhelm some vaccinated animals). PI’s propagate the BVD virus and identification and management of PI’s is crucial to controlling BVD. You cannot develop a persistent infection. Cows are born as PI’s and then are PI’s for life.
The IDEXX BVDV Ag Point-of-Care Test can be used to test ear notch samples to identify persistently infected animals. It produces results about an animal’s BVD infection status within 30 minutes.
Instructions for running the test
Click on the PDF to download the instructions for running the test:
Strategic times producers should use this test
Not sure when to use this test? Here are some key times you should be using this test:
Testing/checking introductions
Bulls
Newborns
New animals brought in
Importance of Biosecurity
Producers should be using the BVDV POC test as a necessary biosecurity screening tool to ensure no PIs are introduced to the farm. Just one PI can cause significant costs to a producer.
Any bulls, heifers, cows and/or calves should be tested prior to being introduced to the herd.
Regularly testing suspect animals
Importance of spot testing
Persistently infected animals are not always easy to find. PIs often dont perform as well and look sick, but they can also hide in plain sight as healthy animals.
Spot testing suspect animals is an important management procedure that can help producers identify PIs in their herd.
Suspect an animal may have BVD? Run the BVDV POC test to be sure its not a PI!
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