STUDY OF A PREVENTION PROGRAM FOR CAPRINE ARTHRITIS-ENCEPHALITIS

A prevention programme for caprine viral arthritis-encephalitis was mo nitored in 363 goat herds between 1988 and 1990. The level of contamin ation in the female kids fell from 49.5 to 25% by the end of the 2-yr period during which the programme was applied. Some 19% of the female kids that had been given substitute colostrum (cow colostrum or goat c olostrum heated to 56-degrees-C for 1 h) were contaminated compared wi th 45% of those that had been given raw colostrum. The segregation bet ween the animals submitted to prevention measures and those that were not are presented to illustrate the efficiency of prevention of horizo ntal transmission.