BVDV infection risk in the course of the voluntary BVDV eradication program in Styria/Austria.

A total of 1362 persistently BVDV-infected animals were identified in 850 herds during the first 3 years of the voluntary BVDV eradication program in Styria/Austria. Within the same period of time, the prevalence of BVDV-infected herds dropped from 7.3% to 2.2% of the 4412 herds covered by the program. The relative BVDV infection risk decreased at least four-fold in herds on common grazing and at least five-fold in herds which purchased cattle during the first 30 months of the BVD control program. Thus, the relative BVDV infection risk was reduced by between five to nine times of the initial risk following the implementation of the 3-year eradication program in all herds participating in the program.