title: First Results in the Use of Bovine Ear Notch Tag for Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus Detection and Genetic Analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infection due to bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is endemic in most cattle-producing countries throughout the world. The key elements of a BVDV control programme are biosecurity, elimination of persistently infected animals and surveillance. Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) is a notifiable disease in Belgium and an official eradication programme started from January 2015, based on testing ear notches sampled during the official identification and registration of calves at birth. An antigen-capture ELISA test based on the detection of BVDV Erns protein is used. Ear notch sample may also be used to characterize the genotype of the calf when appropriate elution/dilution buffer is added. Both BVDV antigen-ELISA analysis and animal traceability could be performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  With regards to the reference protocol used in the preparation of ear notch samples, alternative procedures were tested in terms of BVDV analytic sensitivity, diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, as well as quality and purity of animal DNA.
  The Allflex DNA Buffer D showed promising results in BVDV diagnosis and genome analyses, opening new perspectives for the livestock industry by the exploitation of the animal genome. Due to the high number of cattle involved in the Belgian official BVDV eradication programme based on ear notch tags sample, a large database on both BVDV status of newborn calves and cattle genome could be created for subsequent different uses (e.g. traceability, determination of parentage, genetic signatures throughout the genome associated with particular traits) evolving through a more integrated animal health.
authors.affiliation: Arsia, Health Department, Ciney, Belgium.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Quinet
authors.affiliation: Arsia, Health Department, Ciney, Belgium.
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Czaplicki
authors.affiliation: Arsia, Health Department, Ciney, Belgium.
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dion
authors.affiliation: Research Unit in Epidemiology and Risk analysis applied to Veterinary Sciences (UREAR-ULg), Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal and Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dal Pozzo
authors.affiliation: IFN Schönow GmbH, Bernau bei Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurz
authors.affiliation: Research Unit in Epidemiology and Risk analysis applied to Veterinary Sciences (UREAR-ULg), Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal and Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saegerman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001912:Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D002417:Cattle; D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D030241:Diarrhea Virus 1, Bovine Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D004423:Ear; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005820:Genetic Testing; D005838:Genotype; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D010783:Photometry
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004247:DNA