michigan’s upper peninsula bovine viral diarrhea virus eradication project
TRANSCRIPT
Michigan’s Upper PeninsulaBovine Viral Diarrhea Virus
Eradication Project
Lake Superior
Wisconsin
Lake Michigan
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula• Mixture of approximately
– 13,000 dairy cows – 100 farms– 10,000 beef cows – estimate 700+ farms
• Spread over 15 counties in “pockets” of ag.• The UP is about 350 miles W to E
150 miles N to S
An Overview• Who’s involved• What are the desired outcomes• How is it going to be accomplished• Preliminary results• Preliminary observations
Who’s Involved?• UP Beef and Dairy Producers• UP Livestock Industry Services
– Veterinarians, MDA, USDA • Michigan State University
– College of Veterinary Medicine– MSU Extension– Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal
Health• Pfizer Animal Health
Who’s Involved..Infra-structure support personal
• Producer ID and Educational Activities – producer lists management, mailing letters,
• Sample Shipping and Handling– Extension offices & local veterinary clinics
• Laboratory Data Handling– Data management
• Peer Influence of Producers– Critical motivational consideration
Desired Outcomes
• To Develop & Demonstrate a• Voluntary & Regional • BVDV Eradication/Control Model• In the USA
“In the USA”• Other counties have “mandated” programs• Other states have voluntary control
programs• This is an “eradication/control” effort
“Eradication/ Control Model”• We want the “model” to be repeatable or at
least• Have re-useable concepts• The model will be scientifically defendable
and • Balanced with user – friendliness (value)
Voluntary and Regional• Program is Voluntary but we want 100% of
cattle operations to participate– UP has many small and youth “herds”– Is (1) 4-H steer a “herd”?
• Program is for Entire Region • Not just a regional effort
To Develop and Demonstrate• How do you ID cattle herds?• How do you carry out testing?
producer ear notching vs veterinary sampling
• How do you keep tract of test results?• What happens after herd “tested negative”• How to verify that what you did, worked?• How to take theory into reality?
The program in Year 1• Program roll out and education
– Use of meetings & monthly newsletter
• Divide UP in to 3 regions for 3 years – Western – Eastern – Central – Plus “volunteer” herds
• “Sign up” at central locations • Contact individual producers
Communication is Critical! • What is going to happen• Who is doing what• What are the benefits• What are the costs• What happened• And repeat….
BVDV Education
Year 1 .. continued• UP region wide UP State Fair required all
cattle to BVD-PI test negative• Purebred beef sale required BVD-PI test• Planning for Year 2
– Eastern UP Sign up– Survey system to validate herds are negative– Verification of survey system
Year One - Results• Year 1
–Focus on Western UP• Approx. 98 herds• 67 Beef & 11 Dairy
= 80% sign up –Plus Volunteer Herds
• 65 Beef & 25 Dairy
Testing• Farms Signed Up
– 168 Herds– Est. 13,006 Hd.
• Farms Testing – 140 Herds– 6,355 samples
• Deer Testing– 30 head
•
Testing Results• Positive Farms 4 (2.86%)• Number of PI’s 8 (0.13%)
– 2 farms with 1 PI– 1 farm with 2 PIs – 1 farm with 4 PIs
-All PIs were calves - 1 to 4 months
-All calves put down - No indemnity
- 2 deer were sero-positive
Preliminary Observations• “Eradication/Control” is as much about
people as it is about disease
• Communication is HUGE– Pivotal in Voluntary Program– Important anytime / all the time
Observation• “Eradication/Control” will take:
– Time– Effort– A Plan– Flexibility
Observation• “Eradication/Control” is
– Testing herd negative
+ Bio-security (PI test & isolate)
+ Appropriate & PROPERLY DONE vaccination program
• And a Monitoring Program
Unintended Consequences• BVD with PI’s is a great disease for
teaching bio-security • We have identified a great gap between
a herd being “vaccinated” and
an appropriate and properly applied “vaccination program”
• Producers becoming very well versed in practical disease management
In Conclusion• Thank you Pfizer & MSU for support
• Thank you to UP cattle producers–Patience & Participation
• Thank you to You- for opportunity to share program
QUESTIONS?
Progress• Program started December 2007
• Year 2 (2008/9)– Focus on North East UP
• Year 3 (2009/10)– Focus on Central UP
Industry Impacts• Tremendous Excitement• Industry Cooperation• BVDV Free Livestock Exhibits• Marketing of BVDV Free Cattle• New Appreciation For Biosecurity• New Focus Comprehensive Disease Control