Livestock Health Testing: What You Need to Know

Biosecurity Starts with Purchasing

Bringing new animals onto your farm is the biggest risk factor for introducing disease. A robust quarantine protocol combined with pre-purchase or post-arrival testing is essential to protect your existing herd.

Common Diseases to Test For

Depending on the species and your location, specific diseases should be on your radar.

Bovine (Cattle):

• BVD (Bovine Viral Diarrhea): Test for persistent infection (PI). A PI calf sheds massive amounts of virus its entire life.
• Johne's Disease: A chronic wasting disease that is incurable. Buy from test-negative herds whenever possible.
• Trichomoniasis: A venereal disease that causes infertility and abortion. Bulls should be tested before breeding season.

Porcine (Swine):

• PRRS: Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome is costly. Know the status of your source herd.
• PEDv: Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus can decimate piglet crops.

The Role of Quarantine

Testing is not instant. Always isolate new arrivals for at least 30 days. This gives time for tests to come back and for any incubating diseases to show clinical signs without exposing your main herd.