Rinotracheite infettiva del bovino: piano di eradicazione nelle cinque razze (5R) italiane da carne - Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis: eradication plan in five italian beef cattle breeds

Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) is a disease that affects domestic and wild ungulates, caused by the Bovine herpesvirus-1 (BoHV-1; Herpesviridae family). BoHV-1 may cause production losses, its effect on animal health and welfare manifests as respiratory and genital disease, reduced fertility and abortion. The italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, in June 2015, has approved the first National Surveillance Plan for Eradication of BoHV-1, applied to beef breeds recorded in the National Herd Book (maintained by the Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Bovini Italiani da Carne - ANABIC). Participation in the plan is voluntary. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of the first three years of the Plan application. IBR surveillance data for 2015, 2016 and 2017 were obtained from the National reference laboratory for IBR at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche Togo Rosati and from the ANABIC. Although in the years more than 50% of farms turned out positive a decrease in seropositive farms were recorded: in 2015 the seroprevalence was 55%, 54% in 2016 and 52% in 2017. Seroprevalence was highest in Podolica cattle (52%) and lowest in Maremmana cattle (11%). The application of the plan on a national scale gives the possibility to acquire univocal and comparable data. A greater involvement of breeders in the Plan for Eradication of IBR is required in order to ensure an effective control of the disease in the Country