Dairy cow deaths in Lam Dong: Main cause identified as Pestivirus tauri infection after vaccination

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has just sent a document to Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang regarding the report of diarrhea in dairy cows in Lam Dong province.

Mr. Vo Dinh Viet's cows in Lac Nghiep village, Tu Tra commune (Don Duong district) got sick again after a few days of recovery. Photo: Chu Quoc Hung/VNA

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, based on clinical symptoms, autopsy examination, test results and gene sequencing, the Department of Animal Health initially concluded (because currently laboratories are isolating and culturing viruses, sequencing genes and sending samples to the World Organization for Animal Health reference laboratory for accurate identification) that the main cause of diarrhea in dairy cows in Lam Dong province is due to infection with Pestivirus tauri (BVDV type 2) after vaccination with NAVET-LPVAC vaccine of NAVETCO Central Veterinary Medicine Joint Stock Company.

Pestivirus tauri (BVDV type 2) is a virus strain that can cause diarrhea in cattle.

Dairy cows infected with Pestivirus tauri combined with Clostridium and E.coli bacteria will have more severe symptoms and are more likely to die than other cows.

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) or also known as Bovine Viral Mucosal Diarrhoea (occurring in cows with chronic viral infection) is an infectious disease caused by Pestivirus species of the Flaviviridae family. According to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), there are currently 3 types of Pestisvirus: Pestisvirus bovis (BVD type 1), Pestisvirus tauri (BVD type 2) and Pestisvirus brazilense (BVD type 3). The disease occurs mainly in dairy cows, which are sensitive to changes in the rearing environment, weather and have weaker resistance than beef and native cattle.

Data reported by Lam Dong province shows that the timely and effective use of treatment regimens for the disease situation in dairy cows in Lam Dong province has been initially well controlled, the number of sick cows and the number of dead cows has decreased sharply since August 8, 2024. The number of dairy cows with diarrhea has been treated and recovered well.

According to the report of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Lam Dong province, on August 15 (from 4:00 p.m. on August 14, 2024 to 4:00 p.m. on August 15, 2024), 89 more cows were infected; the number of cows that developed the disease during the day increased by 3 compared to August 14; 11 more cows died (11 less than August 14).

On August 15, 35 cows recovered after treatment (Duc Trong district had 35 cows; Don Duong has not yet collected the number of recovered cows). Through preliminary assessment and review, the number of cows showing signs of basic recovery is gradually increasing in localities.

Up to now, there have been 5,739 sick cows; 291 dead cows; 593 cows recovered, no longer showing symptoms of the disease (including 156 cows in Don Duong; 408 cows in Duc Trong and 29 cows in Lam Ha).

According to Lam Dong province's report, the organization of vaccination against lumpy skin disease in cattle with NAVET-LPVAC was carried out from June 19 to August 2. In total, Lam Dong vaccinated 35,002 cows; including 25,876 beef cattle and 9,126 dairy cows.

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