BVD situation in Finland and Scandinavia is favourable in global comparison. Semen is imported for bovine breeding purposes mainly from Sweden, but it is imported also from countries where BVD is prevalent. In the United States and Canada BVD virus infection occurs in 60 - 90 per cent of bovine herds, and altogether some 20 000 doses of semen were imported from these countries in 2003. This research project focuses on assessing the risk that bovine semen imported from North America is contaminated with BVD virus, and the risk that insemination of a susceptible dam with the contaminated semen leads to birth of a persistently infected calf. The project was an extension of the mainstream BVD research in the EELA Department of Virology, and was jointly conducted with the Department of Risk Assessment.
Research group
Liisa Sihvonen (EELA/Evira)
Ulla Rikula (EELA/Evira)
Lasse Nuotio (EELA/Evira)
Kirsi-Maarit Siekkinen (EELA/Evira)
Funding
Walter Ehrström Foundation, EELA
Project publications
Report
Siekkinen, K-M., Nuotio, L., Rikula, U & Sihvonen, L. 2006. Riskinarviointi naudan virusripulin (BVD) leviämisestä Suomeen Pohjois-Amerikasta tuotavan sperman välityksellä [Risk assessment of importing bovine virus diarrhea (BVD) into Finland through bovine semen originating from North America]. Evira research reports 2/2006. Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira, Helsinki. 30 p.