Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR)

IRB stems from Bovine Herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) and causes a whole host of detrimental health problems for your cattle. Understanding and identifying IBR as well as knowing how to treat and prevent it is essential for the well being of your livestock. Keep reading to learn how to spot the signs and what to do if your cows become infected.

Jump to Key Section

• What Is Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis?
• How to Identify Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis
• How to Treat Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis
• How to Prevent Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis
• How Our Products Can Help

What Is Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis?

IBR is a highly contagious respiratory disease characterized by severe inflammation got the upper respiratory tract. If untreated, this virus can also cause abortions, conjunctivitis (watery eyes), encephalitis and generalized systemic infections. Once a cow contracts Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis, it lives within them forever as a hidden infection, and stress brings out the symptoms. Thus, infected cattle always have a chance of spreading IBR.

How to Identify Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis

Learning what to look out for will prevent an outbreak of IBR. If you notice the following signs, it’s essential to act fast before the disease gets out of control:

• Fever: A sudden onset fever between 104 and 108°F could indicate the start of an infection.
• Red Nose and Watery Eyes: These are classic telltale signs of IBR.
• Difficulty Breathing: In advanced cases, the respiratory tract becomes inflamed to the point where the cow will breathe with an open mouth.
• Nasal Discharge: A runny nose is another sign of a respiratory infection.
• Loss of Appetite: Cattle only ever stop eating when they’re sick. It’s essential to increase feed intake the moment you notice a decline in appetite.
• Abortions: This is a sign of a severe case of IBR and should be acted upon immediately.
• A Decline of Milk Production: A significant drop in milk production is a huge red flag indicating the presence of an infection.

How to Treat Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis

Even though there is no real cure for IBR, there are antibiotic therapy treatments to help control worsening bacterial infections. For instance, CattlActive® helps to improve gut health, which leads to a stronger immune system. There are also management practices centered around decreasing stressful condition, isolating infected animals and providing proper food and water.

How to Prevent Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis

The main avenue of prevention is vaccination. You can prevent the virus from spreading throughout your herd with modified live versions of IBR. Keeping your cattle’s gut health strong is also essential, seeing as the stomach is the battleground for most infections.

How Our Products Can Help

CattlActive® is a ruminal pH neutralizing, treatment-driven supplement that encourages food and water consumption. Incorporating CattlActive® into your herd’s diet will enable the good bacteria in their gut to flourish and prevent future diseases from infiltrating their immune system.

Livestock animals feel stressed very easily due to factors like changes in weather, tight spatial conditions, extreme temptations and poor living conditions. If a cow starts feeling stress, they often experience a change in ruminal pH, which triggers a decline in their feed and water intake. As the healthy bacteria in their guts begin to die off, their weakened immune system becomes vulnerable to catching viruses like BRSV.

CattlActive® is useful for producers and practitioners. If you have any questions, contact us today!