IGENITY^® for beef

IGENITY^® — BVD-PI Testing

IGENITY can now identify BVD-PI cattle, in addition to comprehensive DNA analysis.

Through the IGENITY profile, cow/calf producers and feedyard managers can learn more about traits of economic importance and determine if cattle are persistently infected (PI) with BVD virus — all from one tissue sample.

Financial Impact of BVD Virus

The BVD virus has a significant impact on all segments of the industry through reproductive losses; gain-limiting diseases such as diarrhea; respiratory illness; mucosal ulcers; and death. One study showed that every cow infected with BVD can cost producers $10 to $60.¹ In the feedyard, an individual BVD infection can cost $7.60 per hundredweight of gain or approximately $30 if the animal is expected to gain 400 pounds.¹ The potential cost of BVD is alarming. PI animals will infect others they come into contact with; therefore, losses will most likely be multiplied by the number of cows in a herd or cattle in a pen.

Persistently Infected Cattle

PI cattle become infected before they are born and shed huge amounts of BVD virus throughout their lives.² Shedding occurs in many body secretions, including urine, saliva, respiratory secretions and manure. Any animals that come in contact with those secretions are exposed to the live virus. An infected newborn calf that may appear normal can be infected with the virus for its entire life. More importantly, it can spread the virus to all the other cattle it contacts.

BVD-PI status needs to be determined on every animal present in a herd or feedyard. Any animal that is not tested that may be persistently infected and can spread the virus to the entire population.

Testing for BVD-PI cattle makes sense. Using IGENITY, producers can collect a single tissue sample from each animal and gain information beyond BVD status to help make important selection, management, procurement and marketing decisions.