Active testing program allows producers to remove disease sources while improving herd health and lowering medicine use.

August 19, 2019

2 Min Read
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Animart LLC announced a doubling in the incidence rate of animals persistently infected (PI) with bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) this summer versus last summer, according to an announcement.

Over the months of June and July, Animart said its Animal Profiling International (API) diagnostic lab reported that 200 animals tested positive for PI BVD, compared to 100 in 2018. Of the 73,349 samples screened, the incidence rate was 0.27%, compared to 0.14% the prior year.

This new trend may indicate an important opportunity for producers to identify and remove PI BVD animals in an effort to improve herd health and profitability, the company explained.

BVD is present in 10-25% of cattle herds in the U.S. According to the Center for Epidemiological Research and Oklahoma State University, herds with BVD can experience an annual loss of $54 per dairy cow, $30 per beef cow, $45 per feedlot animal, for a total industry impact of $1.54-2.59 billion, Animart said.

“We see diagnostics as an important tool to assist producers in what has been a challenging 2019 market,” Animart president and chief executive officer Dan Ellsworth said. “With a record number of positive samples in our lab this summer, we believe producers will see an economic benefit by identifying and eliminating sources of disease which drain their operation’s profitability.”

Animart said it continues to monitor trends through diagnostics to inform the industry of emerging challenges and works confidentially through veterinarian/client/patient relationships with producers to design herd-specific, results-oriented protocols.

An active testing program gives producers the benefit of removing sources of disease, which ultimately improves herd health and lowers drug use, thus increasing animal herd profitability and animal well-being.

On March 1, 2019, Animart merged with API. Based in Portland, Ore., API has served the industry for more than 15 years and has customers in 45 states. API has tested more than 4.4 million head of dairy and beef cattle for BVD, but this was the largest increase in BVD PI animals year over year in the company’s 15-year history, the announcement said.

Animart is a privately held provider of animal health and veterinary products as well as show equipment for dairy and livestock producers. Established in 1982 and headquartered in Beaver Dam, Wis., it offers a full line of products and solutions to help dairy and livestock businesses succeed.

Source: Animart, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

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