What is Pestivirus?  

Pestivirus, or Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV) is a unique virus in that it is almost solely transmitted by persistently infected animals (PI’s).

The Pestivirus Cycle

1. PI’s become infected with BVDV before they are born, which occurs due to their dam being exposed during the 1st - 4th month of pregnancy.
2. The surviving calf is persistently infected with the virus for life and continuously sheds large amounts of the virus.
   Hence, PI’s are the major source of infection to other cattle.
3. If these persistently infected (PI) calves come into contact with a pregnant cow in the 1st to 4th month of gestation who hasn’t previously been exposed to Pestivirus, another PI calf may be born.
4. Less commonly, if a female PI successfully reproduces, her calf will invariably be a PI also.

Effective Pestivirus management centres around controlling PI animals. Developing a BVDV management plan is recommended in all circumstances, whether BVDV has been diagnosed on your property or not.

It is recommended to work with your veterinarian to tailor a systematic and cost-effective approach for your property, as blanket approaches are usually unnecessarily expensive.

Contact your local Nutrien Branch or complete this form to organise testing today.