title: Quantitative estimation of the impact of caprine arthritis encephalitis virus infection on milk production by dairy goats.
abstract: This retrospective study investigated milk production losses associated with serological evidence (serostatus) of caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV) infection over one lactation in 4543 Murciano-Granadina goats from 22 herds in Spain. The seroprevalence of infection was 18%, ranging from 0% to 2% in 11 herds, 7% to 60% in 10 herds and was 100% in one herd. Seropositive does had significantly shorter lactations, produced less milk and milk fat, lactose and dry extract and had higher somatic cell counts than their seronegative counterparts, although differences in milk production between seropositive and seronegative animals were noted between herds. Mixed regression models confirmed the association between CAEV seropositivity and reduced milk production. The adjusted, least squares mean (LSM) test-day milk yield was 10% less in seropositive compared to seronegative does and this difference varied according to lactation number. In contrast, differences in the LSM of milk fat, lactose and dry extract percentages between seropositive and seronegative goats were only between 0.1% and 0.2% and did not increase with lactation number. The findings of this study provide strong evidence that CAEV-infection can be a major cause of reduction in milk yield in goats and its control should be considered as part of dairy goat herd health schemes.
authors: Centro de Salud Pública de Manises, Conselleria de Sanidad, C/Ceramista Alfons Blat 6, 46600 Manises, Valencia, Spain.
authors: Bernardo
authors: B
authors: Martínez-Navalón
authors: Cristòfol
authors: C
authors: Peris
authors: Ernesto A
authors: EA
authors: Gómez
authors: Bernat
authors: B
authors: Peris
authors: María Luz
authors: ML
authors: Roche
authors: Concepción
authors: C
authors: Caballero
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Goyena
authors: Eduardo
authors: E
authors: Berriatua
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016088:Arthritis-Encephalitis Virus, Caprine; D003612:Dairying; D005260:Female; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006041:Goats; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D016180:Lentivirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV); Dairy; Goat; Milk production; Seroprevalence