Major bovine virus widely found in China: experts

China is facing critical levels of a bovine viral diarrhea virus and its genotypes are becoming increasingly diverse and complex, posing a big threat to cattle health and the development of the industry in China, according to a survey released in Shanghai recently.

The survey, which looked at 92 big cattle farms in 19 provinces and municipalities, said the persistent infection rate of BVDV in cattle herds was 2.2 percent. About 46.7 percent of cattle farms tested positive for BVDV infection. 

Guo Aizhen, from Huazhong Agricultural University, said both the government and industry insiders should arouse awareness about the virus and its wide infection rates across China.

"Although BVD is called bovine viral diarrhea, its threat to cattle is not limited to diarrhea — early embryo death, abortion, stillbirth and infertility are the most common clinical manifestations in dairy and beef cattle,” she said. 

Mucosa diseases, decreased milk production and immuno-suppression are also common, she added. "It is necessary to be vigilant ... it will continue to spread, so that the reproductive performance of the cattle herd will be significantly reduced, susceptibility to other pathogens greatly increased, and milk production significantly decreased.”

Guo said we should improve awareness of the disease, establish industry standards, set up demonstration bases, formulate BVD control plans, and carry out comprehensive prevention and control. "At the same time, we should speed up the approval and marketing of BVD vaccines, and promote the BVD vaccination technical guideline for disease prevention and control."

BVD control can only be achieved through the joint efforts of the government, industry, farms and enterprises, experts argued.