OCCURRENCE OF INFECTIOUS BOVINE RHINOTRACHEITIS (IBR), BOVINE VIRAL DIARRHEA (BVD) AND LEPTOSPIROSIS (LEP) IN DAIRY CATTLE IN THE WESTERN REGION OF THE STATE OF SANTA CATARINA, BRASIL

Abstract

The occurrence of IBR, BVD and LEP on 195 farms in the western region of the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, is discussed. Serum samples (842 samples) were analyzed by the Virology Sector of the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM) and of the Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Results showed that 57.54% of serum samples were positive for IBR; 28.5% were positive for BVD and 31.67% were positive for LEP. The study detected positive serology for the two diseases even in herds where the occurrence of reproductive problems was low or non-existent. The above suggested that the occurrence or not of the characteristic clinical signs of infection are related to the general management techniques on each farm. Results show that the above-mentioned diseases are disseminated in cattle herds in the western region of Santa Catarina and require the urgent implantation of management practices such as control during acquisition and admittance of new animals, care in artificial insemination, periodical tests, adoption of efficient vaccines timetables and control of rodents and wild animals so that maximum reproductive efficiency of the herd could be achieved.