Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Eradication Project

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