I have worked with USDA/Aphis on a positive study to help remove the threat by deterring elk from eating from livestock hay. This method is an electronic scare device that has been proven to work. Looking for high interest to getting this product into the market.
Sally
17 Dec 2018, 1:09 PM
Why do some cattle escape TB or liver fluke infection?
Opening her presentation at the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation’s (ICBF’s) Genetics Conference, Siobhan Ryan of Teagasc asked the audience: “Why do only a handful of animals in a herd become tuberculosis (TB) reactors, even though all animals in the herd should – in theory – be exposed to TB?”
Research Trials Speaking about trial work on the topic, Siobhan concluded that genetics are a major component responsible for this animal health mystery. Therefore, the prevalence of this disease can be reduced by breeding.
From her research she found that the heritability of TB was 12% and liver fluke was 1%.
She explained that: “If we could breed solely for TB resistance, then the potential reduction in TB prevalence would be 1.9% per year; for liver fluke it would be 0.09% per year.
On average, as you select higher Economic Breeding Index (EBI) or higher replacement index bulls, you are also selecting for lower TB and liver fluke prevalence.
“Some sires will have nearly no progeny affected with TB, whereas up to 40% of a different sire’s progeny [in the same herd] will be infected with TB. This is the case even though the progeny from both sires are in the same herd,” she explained.
In the case of liver fluke, Siobhan said that – on average – 27% of a sire’s progeny will be diagnosed with liver fluke infection in the factory.
