A BVD Wreck

A Practitioner's Approach to Epidemiology

Abstract

In December of 1982 a client of ours purchased 254 head of 530 pound steer calves at a local auction market, "processed" the cattle according to our recommendations and placed the cattle in their own feedlot. Within 6 days the cattle started getting sick. Despite individual and herd treatment, calves started dying-12 head within the next 4 days. A diagnosis of Bovine Virus Diarrhea (BYD) with secondary bronchopneumonia was made. This paper describes "the wreck," the experiences and prejudices of the veterinarians prior to this event, their effort to establish the pathogenesis and epidemiology involved, and finally-what effect this wreck had on their recommendations for disease prevention in a feedlot practice.