More Cattle than we Think Exposed to Schmallenberg
NETHERLANDS - From the examination of bulk milk carried out by GD Animal Health Service, it is possible to tell that 92 per cent of the farms surveyed have had animals affected by the Schmallenberg virus.
3 September 2012
1 minute read
Recently GD developed and validated two tests to detect antibodies to Schmallenberg virus: examination in bulk milk and in individual blood. In the past months farmers had the opportunity to send in their bulk milk for examination for only €19.50.
In 92 per cent of the tested dairy farms, at least 50 per cent of the dairy cows have been infected with Schmallenberg virus. In most cases, as high as 80 to 100 per cent.
In six per cent of the tested farms, the infection rate was 20-50 per cent. Only two per cent of the tested farms had shown infection in less than 20 per cent of the dairy cows.
The significant diffusion of the virus is advantageous. Dairy cows, which have undergone infection, are, most likely, not susceptible anymore to the Schmallenberg virus and thus will not give birth to malformed calves if exposed to the virus during pregnancy.
In mid-September, a second round of bulk-milk test results will become available.
TheCattleSite News Desk
