Oral and Poster Abstracts

haematological values, no statistical differences were detected. Similarly,
the haematological parameters of rotavirus Ab (+) / Ag (+) and Ab (-) / Ag
(-) calves were compared and no statistical differences were detected. The
haematological parameters were not different between rotavirus infected
diarrhetic calves and mother, and non-infected animals. Thus,
haematological examination is not necessary in suspected animals before
serological and virological testing.
Key words: Rotavirus, diarrhea, serology, virology, haematology,
dairy cattle
1123 Metaphylasis with Florfenicol Based on Temperature at
Feedlot Entry against BRD under Commercial Conditions in
Spain
J. González-Martín 1 , L. Elvira Partida 2 , N. Pérez Villalobos 2 ,
M. Cervio López 3 , E. Calvo López-Guerrero 3 , S. Astiz Blanco, Dipl.
ECBH 3
1
Veterinary Facultiy UCM, Animal Medicine and Surgery, Madrid,
Spain
2
TRIALVET SL, Veterinary Consultancy and Research, Madrid,
Spain
3
Schering Plough Animal Health, Technical Department, Madrid,
Spain
Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of selective metaphylaxis
with florfenicol on the basis of a rectal temperature >=39.7 C the day
that the feedlot reaches the 10% of respiratory disease (day "0"), and
to asses the efficacy of this temperature for the early diagnostic of
SRB.
Materials and methods: The metaphylactic administration of
florfenicol (SC, 40 mg/kg BW) was investigated in 355 beef calves
(average weight 268 kg) in four feedlots in Spain. Metaphylaxis (M)
was applied on Day "0". The ill animals were excluded and the rest,
n=287, were allocated to one of the experimental groups, using a
randomization:
– Group 1: >39.7 C with M
– Group 2: >39.7 C without M
– Group 3: 39.7 C and
metaphylaxis was applied in 43.4% of the animals. Animals with no
metaphylaxis (n=162) were analyzed to determine the predictive values
of 39.7 C on Day 0. The result was a 70.4% of diagnosis efficiency,
with a 52.6% positive predictive value (PPV), and a 72.7% negative
predictive value (NPV). There were neither significant differences
regarding the incidence of respiratory disease nor regarding the relapse
rate between groups 3 and 4 (21.4% vs 27.3% and 5.6% vs 12.8%,
respectively), either between groups 1 and 2 (36.6% vs 52.6% and
13.3% vs 10%, respectively). However, the different BRD incidence
between groups 1 and 2 was numerically important. On Day 30 no
significant differences were found neither in weight gain (WG) neither
in average daily gain (ADG) between the different groups. When
comparing WG and ADG of healthy animals (n=205; 38.8kg and
1.2kg/day) and diseased animals (n=82; 33.1kg and 1.0kg/day) the
difference was significant (p=0.02 and p=0.01, respectively).
Conclusions: From the animal welfare point of view selective
metaphylaxis based on rectal temperature presents advantages as well
as good cost/effectiveness ratio and provides appropriate antibiotic use.
Moreover, the temperature criterion is an objective and useful
parameter to predict BRD.
This study was supported by Schering-Plough Animal Health
1124 A Simulation Model for the Spread of BVD in Germany
T. Selhorst, J. Gethmann
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Epidemiology, Wusterhausen, Germany
Objective: This study was initiated in order to develop a simulation
model predicting the spread of Bovine Virus Diarrhoea (BVD) virus
within and between German cattle farms. The model will be used to
develop efficient BVD elimination strategies. BVD infections in cattle
cause immense losses. For different countries, these losses vary
considerably (9.2 C= /cattle/a - 133 C= /cattle/a). Numerous reasons could
be given for this variation; one plausible determinant is the difference
between countries with respect to cattle production and management.
These differences even occur between regions of a country.
Material and Methods: An individual based, discrete, stochastic
simulation program was set up, predicting the dynamics of a cattle and
the dynamic of a BVD infection. The model consists of different
modules, two of them being module Cattle and module Farm. Module
Cattle predicts the fate of individual cattle, module Farm combines
cattle in a farm and predicts the spread of the disease within farms and
between farms via trade. Data describing the unique cattle production
and management conditions in Germany were used to set up the
modules. These data are stored in the national cattle database
(Herkunftssicherungs- und Informationssystem für Tiere, HI-Tier),
consisting of more than 10 million cattle CV’s, and the information
about trade between farms from the year 2001 onwards. Using this
database, the most veritable data for the simulation of the cattle herd
and BVD dynamics in Germany were used.
Results: The model developed so far has been validated by national
experts, and will be further checked with the help of the observed BVD
dynamics in certain herds. If the model will pass these checks, it will be
used to develop guidelines for the implementation of cost efficient
BVD elimination programs.
Conclusions: In order to develop cost efficient strategies for the
elimination of the BVD virus within German cattle herds, it was
decided to develop a general simulation module predicting the specific
cattle herd and trade dynamics observed in Germany. The BVD
dynamics has been linked with this dynamics. This linkage will assist
disease managers in developing cost efficient BVD elimination
strategies. The models excess value is given by its applicability to other
cattle diseases. For this purpose, the disease specific aspects must be
considered.
1125 Prevalence of Fluorosis in Buffaloes in Punjab State of India
J. Singh 1 , S. Uppal 2 , K. Dua 2 , S. Randhawa 2 , C. Randhawa 2
1 Veterinary Officer, Animal Husbandry Deapartment, Sangrur, India
2 Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University,
Veterinary Clinical Services Complex, Ludhiana, India
In India there are endemic fluorosis areas where clinical signs are
manifested in animals due to prolonged consumption of contaminated
ground water (hydrofluorosis) or fluoride rich brick kiln ash
contaminated fodder (non-hydrofluorotic area). An epidemiological
survey on fluorosis in buffaloes was conducted in hydrofluorotic and
non-hydrofluorotic areas of Punjab. A total of 216 buffaloes were
randomly selected from three types of areas. In group I, 155 buffaloes
were selected from 8 villages in hydrofluorotic areas without any brick
kilns in their surroundings; in group II, 28 buffaloes from 3 villages in
non-hydrofluorotic areas having brick kilns, while in group III, 33
buffaloes were selected from 2 villages in hydrofluorotic areas having
brick kilns. Ten healthy buffaloes between 3-12 years of age from
non- fluorotic belt having water and fodder fluoride levels of 1.06ppm
and 0.183ppm, respectively were selected as control group. Plasma,
fodder and ground water fluoride analysis was done using fluoride
electrode by standard methods. Significantly (p0.3 ppm). The study indicates widespread prevalence of
fluorosis in Punjab state in endemic areas and in non-endemic areas in
the vicinity of brick kilns.
Key words: buffalo, fluorosis
Herd Health Management and Epidemiology 173