An investigation is underway after 200 dead cows were found in a field at 8055 4th Avenue in the Town of Stockton.

According to the Portage County Sheriff's Department, the owner of the cattle has been working with a local vet and it's believed the animals died from the IBR/BVD virus. The virus can cause respitory and reproductive problems.

Disease Description
IBR, BVD, and BRSV viruses are commonly associated with respiratory disease and/or reproductive failure in cattle. IBR virus infection is characterized by high temperature, excessive nasal discharge, conjunctivitis and ocular discharge, inflamed nose (“red nose”), increased rate of respiration, coughing, loss of appetite, and depression. Cattle infected during pregnancy may abort.
BVD virus may be transmitted in nasal secretions, saliva, blood, feces, and/or urine, and by direct contact with contaminated objects; it invades through the nose and mouth and replicates systemically. Infection during pregnancy may result in abortion, fetal resorption, or congenital malformation of the fetus. Moreover, if susceptible cows are infected with noncytopathic BVD virus during the first trimester of pregnancy, their calves may be born persistently infected with the virus. Exposure of those calves to certain virulent cytopathic BVD virus strains may precipitate BVD-mucosal disease. Both BVD Types 1 and 2 can show a variety of clinical signs. The signs may be mild and not readily apparent. Clinical signs may include severe immune suppression, diarrhea, anorexia, depression, fever and respiratory disease. If infected with some Type 2 strains of BVD, severe thrombocytopenia may occur and hemorrhaging may be seen.

BRSV is the etiologic agent of a specific viral respiratory disease of cattle of all ages, including nursing calves. Infection is characterized by rapid breathing, coughing, loss of appetite, discharge from the nose and eyes, fever, and swelling around the throat and neck. In an acute outbreak, deaths may follow within 48 hours after onset of signs. Clinically, BRSV infection may be indistinguishable from other viral infections associated with the bovine respiratory disease complex. BRSV infection facilitates invasion and replication of other respiratory pathogens. Exacerbation of clinical signs has been documented when concurrent BRSV and BVD or IBR infection exists.