What are some important steps in preventing losses due to BVD?
The most important step is adoption of good management practices. These are routine practices that aid in the prevention of all diseases in cattle, including BVD. These include adequate nutrition as a cornerstone of prevention. We must make sure that the cattle do not become too thin or too fat. Both extreme conditions can decrease the ability of the animals immune response to fight infectious agents such as BVD. In addition to general nutrition (adequate energy, protein, and clean water), some of the trace minerals can cause problems if in short supply. Both selenium deficiency and copper deficiency are widespread in California beef cattle and will damage the immune system of deficient cattle. Your veterinarian can take blood or tissue samples to determine the status of your cattle with respect to these trace minerals and recommend appropriate methods for supplementation. The third item that is central to maintaining the resistance of cattle is the reduction of stress. Stress commonly
