During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people adopted social distancing and increased sanitation measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Kansas State University beef cattle veterinarians suggest that similar biosecurity practices can be applied to animal health plans. In a recent episode of the Beef Cattle Institute’s Cattle Chat podcast, K-State veterinarians Todd Gunderson, Brian Lubbers, and Bob Larson shared strategies for minimizing the risk of disease from newly introduced cattle to the herd.

“It is important to know what diseases you want to keep out of the herd. Two conditions that are easy to test for are BVD (bovine viral diarrhea) and trichomoniasis,” Gunderson said. “With both these cases, there is a virus and protozoa that have long-term carrier states that we can keep out through diagnostic testing.” 

Lubbers emphasized the importance of collaborating with a local veterinarian to create a customized biosecurity plan, noting that there is no universal approach and some cattle may carry undetected disease-causing germs.

In addition to working with the veterinarian to establish a testing protocol, Larson advised quarantining new cattle away from the herd upon arrival. He recommended keeping the new arrivals separated for about 30 days to ensure they remain healthy during that period. Quarantine also provides an opportunity for testing cattle for any diseases that may be a concern, depending on the region.