What is bovine viral diarrhea?

• BVDV is a highly contagious virus that can infect both beef cattle and dairy cattle
• BVDV can contribute to reproductive disease (abortions and birth defects), respiratory disease and, less commonly, diarrhea
• BVDV Types 1a, 1b and 2 are extremely contagious
• BVDV Type 1b is currently the most prevalent subtype in the United States¹

Cattle affected

• Most infections are acquired after birth, and are transient, meaning they only last a few weeks
• A small percentage of infections are acquired in utero, and the calves are persistently infected (PI), shedding the virus for their entire lives 

Disease development

• In pregnant cows, the virus can be transferred through the bloodstream to the fetus (vertical transmission)
• Infected animals can shed the virus in saliva, nasal and eye discharge, urine, feces, milk, semen and aborted fetal tissues, exposing other animals (horizontal transmission)
• Exposure to BVDV can cause suppression of the immune system making animals more susceptible to other diseases

Signs

• Most infections are subclinical, meaning cattle show no signs
• Signs can vary from mild to severe, but relate to reproductive disease (abortions and birth defects) or respiratory disease 
• In rare occurrences, PI calves can develop mucosal disease, resulting in diarrhea, digestive tract ulceration and often death

Diagnosis

• Diagnosis is generally made by a combination of physical exam and blood, milk or tissue testing

Treatment

• There is no treatment for BVDV, which is why prevention is so important
• Your veterinarian may recommend supportive care and antibiotics for secondary infections

Prevention

• Identify and eliminate PI calves
• Prevent exposure with good biosecurity, testing and surveillance programs
• Vaccinate cows to prevent fetal infections and boost colostrum quality
• Vaccinate calves to boost immunity
• Choose vaccines labeled to protect against BVDV Types 1 and 2 including subtype 1b