Comparing Estimates of the Impact of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) Infection on the Weaning Weights of Beef Calves reported in Primary Research with Economic Models of BVDV in Beef Cattle

Abstract

The objective of this project was to compare estimates of the impact of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infection on the weaning weights of beef calves reported in primary research to the estimates used in economic models of BVDV in beef cattle. Models can help clarify the impact of infectious disease on production and financial outcomes; however the usefulness of economic models depends on the validity of the assumptions of lost production attributable to infection. In dairy herds, the major source of income is milk therefore BVDV transmission models often include calves only as a source for continued herd infection and economic models frequently only consider the impact of infection on milk production. In beef herds, the sale of calves is a primary income source and estimates of the impacts on BVDV infection on calf weight at weaning are of greater importance in economic impact models on BVDV infection in the beef cattle industry than the dairy cattle industry.