IBR situation in Germany

Cattle number: 12.97 m
IBR status: positive
Official IBR eradication plan: Since 2002 an obligatory IBR eradication program is being implemented. The objective is to achieve freedom of BoHV-1 according to article 10 of Directive 64/432/EEC (gB free status)
IBR-free certification: IBR free certification is based in the absence of gB antibodies. Individual blood samples are collected from all animals older than 9 months. Samples are tested for the presence of gB antibodies and if all the samples are negative then farm obtains IBR free certificate. To maintain the IBR free certification all the animals older than 24 months are tested once a year. Individual blood or milk samples are collected and tested for the presence of gB antibodies. In the case of milk samples they can be pooled up to 50 samples.
IBR herd/individual prevalence: In 2005 77.6% of farms and 66.4% of cattle are IBR free. There are differences among the different federal states being the process of IBR eradication more advances in some of them.
Vaccination: Only marker vaccines (live and inactivated) are available and used in the field.