Instructions
Cattle herds that have never been affected with bovine neosporosis are introduced to the parasite by affected dogs (carriers of the parasite) depositing eggs in the farmer's pasture where the cattle are grazing.
Keep your dogs away from your cattle herd and out of the pasture. The less contact dogs have with the grass and hay you are feeding your cattle, the less likely your cattle are to contract bovine neosporosis.
Dispose of all placentas and aborted fetuses. Each state has different rules about the disposal of placentas and fetuses, to find out the rules in your state contact your local cooperative extension office or state department of agriculture.
Talk to your veterinarian about a vaccination that has recently been approved by the USDA. The vaccination is called NeoGaurd and is produced by Intervet.
As soon as one of your cows is diagnosed with bovine neosporosis it needs to be seperated from your herd. The best way to make sure that the animal will not spread the parasite to your other animals is to have it slaughtered.
How to Prevent Bovine Neosporosis
One of the problems that cattle farmers constantly worry about is bovine neosporosis. Bovine neosporosis is caused by neospora caninum, a protozoan parasite. Cows that are affected by bovine neosporosis often abort their fetuses, (approximately 50 percent of bovine abortions are believed to be a result of bovine neosporosis). This can cause the farmer to lose a year of the cow's productivity. What's worse, the farmer's entire herd can become ill. In some situations one bout of bovine neosporosis can cause the farmer to lose not only a crop of calves but an entire year of income. In addition to causing most cows to abort their fetus, the parasite also affects the animal's brain and central nervous system. So far there is no way to treat bovine neosporosis once a cow is infected. The key to managing the disease is to prevent your livestock from becoming infected.