Bovine viral diarrhea is a complex disease causing significant welfare problems across cattle populations, with control programs focused on identifying and removing persistently infected cattle.
BVD welfare spans acute clinical disease, reproductive failure, and the systemic immunosuppression that predisposes to secondary infections. Acute BVD causes fever, diarrhea, oral erosions, and significant distress. Perhaps more significant in welfare terms is the BVD-induced immunosuppression that predisposes cattle to respiratory and other diseases - BVD is often an invisible driver behind apparent husbandry problems. BVD eradication programs that identify and remove PI cattle eliminate the source of continuous viral exposure and, over time, dramatically reduce disease burden across cattle populations - a population-level welfare improvement with measurable individual benefit.