The effect of bluetongue virus serotype 8 on milk production and somatic cell count in Dutch dairy cows in 2008

Abstract The effect of bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8) infections was quantified on milk production and udder health. From July 2008 to December 2008, 1,074 seronegative cows in 15 herds that were not vaccinated against BTV-8 were tested every 3 wk for BTV-8 antibodies. Sampling stopped when cows seroconverted. Test-day records were provided and 3 traits were defined to evaluate the effect of BTV-8 on milk production and udder health: 1) the difference between observed and predicted fat- and protein-corrected milk production; 2) the natural logarithm of the somatic cell count (lnSCC); and 3) the occurrence of a new high SCC. In the default model, the variables were assumed influenced by BTV-8 when the test-day record of the seroconverted cow was taken within 30 d before seroconversion, thus, in the period in which the cow was infected. In sensitivity analyses, the time intervals were varied in which BTV-8 was assumed to affect milk production and udder health. During the study, 185 cows (17%) had a subclinical infection and seroconverted and 77 had a test-day result within 30 d before seroconversion. In this period, in cows that seroconverted, the fat- and protein-corrected milk production was 52 (95% confidence interval: 26 to 77) kg less than in the period before and after seroconversion and was 51 (95% CI: 26 to 76) kg less than in cows that remained seronegative. When the time interval was increased to within 42 d before seroconversion, the milk production in BTV-8-seroconverted cows decreased by 61 (95% CI: 28 to 94) kg compared with the period before and after seroconversion and decreased by 59 (95% CI: 27 to 92) kg compared with cows that remained BTV-8 seronegative. No significant effect of BTV-8 was found on SCC and odds for a high SCC. Subclinical BTV-8 infection in dairy cattle results in a decreased milk production.