Your reading list

Three-year disease study planned

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Published: June 6, 2002

A three-year national study has been launched to chart the prevalence

and distribution of four production-limiting diseases in beef cattle.

Veterinarians across the country are conducting blood tests this fall

to pinpoint the incidence of leukosis, neosporosis, Johne’s disease and

bovine viral diarrhea. These diseases cause production losses through

diarrhea, abortions and weight loss.

“We do not have any national data that can be co-ordinated,” said Rob

McNabb of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association.

“We are trying to get a thorough national perspective on it.”

Read Also

cattle

Feeder market adds New World screwworm risk premium

Feedlots contemplate the probability of Canadian border closing to U.S. feeder cattle if parasite found in United States

The study, which complements previous dairy studies that tracked

disease, will cost $800,000. Participants include the Canadian Food

Inspection Agency, University of Guelph in Ontario, provincial

governments and the Beef Cattle Research Council, an arm of the CCA.

British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario will provide 60

herds each while 100 herds in Atlantic Canada will be blood tested.

Quebec and Manitoba have already completed their collections.

The study will use standardized testing and diagnostic procedures.

Tests will be conducted over the next three years to measure

variability on a year-to-year basis.

“By the end of the third year we should have a good handle on things,”

McNabb said.

The study should provide information to grant disease-free

certification, and a set of standards to eliminate a disease.

While these diseases do not grab the kind of public attention that is

captured by reportable diseases such as foot-and-mouth, they are costly.

They often go undetected in carrier cows, which spreads infection.

Tests are needed to find those animals so appropriate measures can be

taken to free herds of disease.

Randomly selected producers will be contacted by mail and asked to

participate. All testing is confidential.

For further information, see the Canadian Animal Health Network’s

website at www.cahnet.org.

About the author

Barbara Duckworth

Barbara Duckworth

Barbara Duckworth has covered many livestock shows and conferences across the continent since 1988. Duckworth had graduated from Lethbridge College’s journalism program in 1974, later earning a degree in communications from the University of Calgary. Duckworth won many awards from the Canadian Farm Writers Association, American Agricultural Editors Association, the North American Agricultural Journalists and the International Agriculture Journalists Association.

explore

Stories from our other publications