Natural transmission of bovine leukemia virus in dairy calves by dehorning.
Gouge dehorning was evaluated as a mode of transmitting bovine leukemia virus in Holstein calves at a commercial dairy. Significantly (p less than 0.05) more calves dehorned by the gouge method developed antibodies to bovine leukemia virus, as measured by agar-gel immunodiffusion, three months after dehorning, than calves not dehorned. The field use of a blood-contaminated dehorning device resulted in transmission of bovine leukemia virus.
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D002425:Cautery / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006733:Horns / Q000601:surgery*; D005779:Immunodiffusion / Q000662:veterinary; D007938:Leukemia / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D001909:Leukemia Virus, Bovine / Q000276:immunology*; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D013522:Surgery, Veterinary / Q000379:methods
D000914:Antibodies, Viral