Re: [Alpacasite] BVD Testing

Pamela
For information, I would recommend starting with the Alpacas Magazine Summer
2005 & Winter 2006 issues. There have been confirmed cases of PI crias (I
believe Cornell's lab has confirmed 7 this Fall). We identified 2 PI crias on
our farm this year (through a series of 3 PCR tests and virus isolation
test). The dams of both crias came to our farm 5 to 6 months pregnant (past the
generally-accepted cutoff of when an in utero cria can be infected, so it
looks like they were infected before they got here, plus none of the other 20+
crias born on our farm are PI). One dam came from Maine and one from Colorado
so it appears that this disease is throughout the country. (Personally I
believe this disease has always been in the alpaca industry - we just often
called it "failure to thrive" when we had a poor doing cria).

To look at these crias now (they are 9 and 12 weeks old), you would have no
clue that they were PI - healthy, active, robust. They are currently at a
horse farm with their dams where they have no access to other ruminants.
Ideally, these 2 will be kept alive (typically PI crias are put down immediately)
and studied so we can learn more about this disease & alpacas


Steve McCarthy
Spruce Ridge Farm
Old Chatham, NY
_www.spruceridgefarm.com_ (http://www.spruceridgefarm.com)

At 10:10 AM 12/5/2005, you wrote:
>I'd like to learn more about BVD testing. It seems to be a more
>frequent topic of conversation and this site is a great gathering of the
>collective wisdom of our business.
>
>We've had several requests to conduct this test prior to transport
>though I know of no cases in alpacas. We have an excellent camelid vet
>but he is on a learning curve with this testing, too, and hasn't been
>able to come up with a "standard" test.
>
>I'd be especially interested to hear if there is a preferred protocol
>for testing. Also, have there been cases reported in alpacas and if so,
>what is the pathology and symptoms. Are there protective measures we
>should be taking if we're in a cattle raising state. What do you vets
>out there think?
>
>Pamela Ray
>Xanadu Farm Alpacas
>Home of Champion Herdsires, Peruvian Presidio, Maple Brook Barnabus,
>Rayo's Roso e Grigio, PLF P. Jubilant and Brutus' Firecracker.

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