Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus:
Is My Herd at Risk?
By: Michelle Arnold, DVM, Ruminant Extension Veterinarian
BVD disease is one of the most complicated viral diseases in dairy cattle
worldwide. Terms associated with BVD such as “cytopathic” vs. “noncytopathic”,
“persistent infection” vs. “transient infection”, “types I and II” and “immunosuppression”
make understanding this virus a difficult task. However, the results of this disease are
very clear-economic losses due to poor performance, loss of milk production, open
cows, abortions, calf sickness and death. In order to control this problem, producers
must first know if the virus is circulating in their herd. If so, then efforts must be focused
on finding those infected individuals, minimizing their harmful effects and eliminating
them from the herd at the right time. If the herd is free of BVD virus, then it is of the
utmost importance to keep the virus out and minimize losses if it is accidentally
introduced.
A basic understanding of the disease is essential to finding the appropriate
strategy for your farm. The virus is picked up by a cow or calf by breathing it in
(inhalation) or swallowing (ingesting) the organism. The virus can survive in the
environment up to 7 days and may be brought in on trucks, tractors, boots, or gloves or
carried in by wild animals. It can also travel in the air, including across fences from a
neighboring farm. However the most important source of the virus is a cow or calf
already infected with BVD. Once exposed, what happens next depends on the immune
system of the cow or calf (vaccination status), aggressiveness (“virulence”) of that strain
of virus, and the overall stress level present in the herd. Symptoms of disease range
from a mild fever to severe diarrhea and death.
Clinical signs of acute BVD (also known as “Transient” or “Primary” BVD)
disease in young dairy animals 3-12 months old may include:
 Fever
 Diarrhea
 Unthrifty/Rough hair coat (calf looks “wormy”)
 Coughing
 Lameness
 Ulcers in the mouth (slobbering)
 Hemorrhage (bleeding) and death
Perhaps the most important symptom of BVD virus in calves is one we cannot
see-immunosuppression. The virus actually keeps the calf’s immune system from
functioning properly so other infectious diseases such as pneumonia and calf scours
are much more severe and often lead to death.
Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age,
sex, religion, disability, or national origin.
Clinical signs in dairy cows are generally mild and seldom noticed but the
infection causes serious consequences if it occurs during breeding season or early
pregnancy (1st and 2nd trimesters). Reproductive effects of the BVD virus include:
 Failure to Conceive
 Early Embryonic Loss (Long time to return to heat)
 Abortion (up to 6 months)
 Mummified Fetuses
 Developmental Defects or “Dummy Calves”
 Calves with eye defects such as cataracts and retinal degeneration
 From 180 days on, a normal calf is produced.
The most important consequence occurs if the cow is infected with the BVD virus
between 42-125 days of gestation. In this short window of time, the unborn calf
contracts the virus and is never able to get rid of it for the rest of its life. When this calf
is born, it is “persistently infected” or a “PI” calf.
The “PI” animals are the reason BVD disease continues. They are the primary
source of virus transmission because they shed an extremely high number of virus
particles throughout their lives. A PI animal is a virus factory, producing millions of virus
particles in all body secretions including feces, urine, saliva, nasal discharge, milk,
semen, uterine secretions, and aborted membranes. These contaminated body fluids
are deposited on the grass, in ponds, watering troughs, feed troughs-virtually
everywhere the animal goes. Although it is often assumed that PI calves are stunted,
will grow poorly and usually die young, some are absolutely normal and will survive well
into adulthood and have calves. Unfortunately, if a PI female gets pregnant, her
offspring will be a PI calf 100% of the time. This is important because if one PI heifer
survives and is out in the pasture constantly shedding virus, many (if not all) of the
heifers in her group will be exposed during the highest risk time for creating more PI
animals. This risk continues within the cow herd when the heifer freshens and enters
the milking string.
Next Month: Is My Herd at Risk? Diagnosis and Control of BVD Disease
Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age,
sex, religion, disability, or national origin.