Improving the diagnostics of Bovine Johne's Disease at the herd and animal level - VSD-D-42-08
Project title: Improving Diagnostics of Bovine Johne’s Disease at the Herd and Animal Level
Project team: Dr Sam Strain, Dr David Graham
Duration: 36 Months
Background to proposal:
Bacteria of the genus Mycobacterium are gram-positive, acid-fast organisms that include a number of significant human and animal pathogens. The mycobacterial species M. avium is currently subdivided into three subspecies, M. avium subsp. avium (M. avium), M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map), and M. avium subsp. silvaticum (M. silvaticum).
Benchmarking the control of BVD in NI - VSD-D-41-08
Project title: Benchmarking and control of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus in Northern Ireland.
Duration: 24 months.
Background to proposal:
Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is an economically important pathogen in Northern Ireland dairy and beef herds. Losses may be associated with a wide range of reproductive effects, including conception failure and abortion, suppression of the immune system in calves, resulting in increased levels of pneumonia and diarrhoea, reduced milk yields, increased somatic cell counts and death of animals from mucosal disease, characterised by lameness, scour and oral ulceration.
Read more: Benchmarking the control of BVD in NI - VSD-D-41-08
Survey to determine prevalence of NI suckler and dairy herds with evidence of current or recent infection with BVD virus (RCF-01)
Duration 2 Years
Team and Leader AFBI, Stormont
Organisations Involved AgriSearch (Project Leader and Co-Funder), DARD Research Challenge Fund (Co-Funder), Ulster Farmers Union, AFBI - Stormont (Research Partner)
Background and Summary
Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is the most significant endemic viral disease in the United Kingdom from both a welfare and an economic perspective, and the prospect of control and eradication of BVDV is currently the subject of considerable attention in both the UK and Ireland.