

In 2007, the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) performed bulk milk tank tests on 527 dairies across the U.S. and found a 1.7% positive rate overall, with large dairies (>500 hd) positive 12.8% of the time with a higher percent in western dairies (7.7%) vs. eastern dairies (1.1%). Small dairies (< 100) had 0 positives and medium dairies (100-499) were 3.5% positive.
From 2011-2013, in conjunction with Merck Animal Health, API undertook a similar bulk milk tank testing program targeting mostly larger dairies (>500 hd) from Vermont to California and found that the incidence of positives had increased. The sample included 182 dairies of which 18% were positive (33/182) including 118 large dairies (>500 hd) where 28% (33/118) were positive.
The information has prompted our team here at API to redouble efforts in supporting the industry by re-introducing our BVDv-PI Bulk Tank Milk Monitoring program.
BVD-PI BULK TANK MILK MONITORING PROGRAM WHAT IS IT?
BVD RECAP
Bovine Virus Diarrhea virus can cause three distinct disease states:
- Reproductive: Early embryonic death, Persistently Infected (PI), or a Congenitally (CI) infected calf
- Respiratory: Immune suppression and Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD)
Digestive: Diarrhea
1. PI cows are a constant source of BVD virus being shed to the environment
2. Over 25% of large dairies tested have been found to have BVDv-PI Positive animals
3. BVD-PI cows in a dairy herd can cause losses in the range of $20.00-$88.00 per head
PROGRAM BENEFITS
- Bulk tank milk samples can be used to screen large dairies to identify herds with a lactating PI cow
- String samples can be used to narrow the search to specific groups minimizing individual testing
- Next business-day results reporting minimizes time for "clean-up" process

3.28.2014