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Diseases of Cattle

Diseases of cattle and associated biosecurity strategies
Disease
Summary of herd biosecurity strategy, in order of the most relaible option

Bovine virus diarrhoea/mucosal disease (BVD)

  • Purchase from herds certified free of disease.
  • Quarantine and blood test for persistant excretors.

Brucellosis

  • Purchase from Officially Brucellosis-Free areas.
    This includes all parts of the UK excluding Northern Ireland. [Note: Many EU Member States do not have OBF status eg Republic of Ireland].

Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR)

  • Purchase from herds certified free of disease.
  • Quarantine and blood test.

Johne's disease

  • Purchase from herds certified free of disease.
  • Quarantine, observe and blood and faeces test. If negative repeat blood and faeces tests annually.

Leptospira hardjo

  • Purchase from herds certified free of disease.
  • Quarantine, blood test and consider treatment.

Salmonella

  • Quarantine, observe and three faeces tests at 14-day intervals.
  • Quarantine and observe.

Tuberculosis

  • Purchase from herds certified free of disease with an up to date tuberculin test record.
  • Quarantine and tuberculin test animals from higher incidence areas.

Digital Dermatitis

  • Quarantine, observe and consider treatment.

Mastitis

  • Buy young cows.
  • Individual cow somatic cell count history.
  • California mastitis test, bacteriology.
  • Where status unknown or suspicious, milk after clean cows in herd but before known infected cows until status established.

Neospora

  • Quarantine and blood test. If negative repeat blood test in last month of pregnancy.

Parasitic diseases (liver fluke, gut roundworms, lung worm, lice, mites)

  • Quarantine, observe and treat. Treatment may not remove all parasites present but should at least significantly reduce their numbers.
  • Consult your veterinary surgeon with regard to the strategic timing of worming.

Ringworm

  • Quarantine, observe and consider vaccination.

Udder skin infections

  • Quarantine and observe.

Venereal Campylobacter infection

  • Only acquire animals that have not mated naturally.
  • Non-virgin bulls: Quarantine, test and/or treat.
  • Naturally mated females: breed by AI only for at least 2 years.

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Page updated: Thursday, January 18, 2007