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Bovine Leucosis: Welfare and Herd Management

Enzootic bovine leucosis is a viral disease causing lymphoma in cattle. This guide covers welfare impacts and control strategies.

Key Facts

Bovine leucosis is caused by bovine leukaemia virus (BLV)
Most infected cattle are asymptomatic; a minority develop lymphoma
Lymphoma causes enlarged lymph nodes, weight loss, and reduced production
The condition is progressive and ultimately fatal in affected animals
Welfare impacts of clinical cases include chronic illness and pain
Control relies on testing and removing positive animals or segregating herds

Welfare Considerations and Management

Welfare management of bovine leucosis focuses on identifying and removing clinical cases and preventing spread within herds. Clinical lymphoma causes significant suffering through organ enlargement, weight loss, and secondary complications. Animals with advanced disease should be assessed for euthanasia. Test-and-remove programmes reduce herd prevalence. In low-prevalence countries, eradication programmes have been successful.

What You Can Do

Test cattle for BLV status and manage positives appropriately
Assess welfare of any animal showing lymph node enlargement and weight loss
Avoid sharing needles, rectal sleeves, and other equipment between animals
Segregate positive and negative animals in herds with high prevalence