Genus bulls found with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis

Vet experts have voiced concern after stock bulls at cattle breeding company Genus contracted Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis.

A small percentage of bulls have tested positive for the disease, Farmers Weekly has learned. The infection can cause abortion if susceptible cows or heifers are infected during pregnancy.

The best option when IBR has been identified in stock bulls is to remove them, said Keith Cutler, Endell Vet Group.

“Any antibody positive bull is not suitable for use in AI studs and semen export is out.”

Any stud should follow the cattle health protocol – CHeCS – to eradicate IBR within a group of animals.

“All IBR positive bulls should be removed and all remaining animals should be retested a month later.

“If any come back positive again then these should be removed and testing repeated again until all animals have come back negative at least twice and at least one month apart,” he said.

But a Genus spokeswoman said that it was perfectly acceptable to sell IBR positive semen within the UK – plenty of studs already sold IBR positive semen.

“As soon as the problem was identified all infected bulls were taken to an off-lying stud. These bulls will still be used to produce saleable semen but will be clearly identified as IBR positive,” the spokeswoman said.

“From time-to-time our regular testing regime identifies IBR as a problem. We were alerted to the fact IBR was going around and we are confident everything has been done to control it,” she added.

Essentially there will now be two studs, one separate stud producing IBR positive semen and the main stud which will remain IBR negative. The semen already produced by the IBR positive bulls will still be available.