Candidate: Prell, Madelaine

An investigation into pestivirus in sheep

Abstract

The proposed project is an investigation into pestivirus in sheep in response to a number of producers in southern NSW suffering losses due to pestivirus subsequent to an established diagnosis.

The outcomes of the project would be; to obtain and analyse actual epidemiological data about pestivirus in sheep, to provide information to producers on what is currently understood and to establish the efficacy of the cattle pestivirus vaccine in sheep.

Experimental design and data collection will occur as follows.

1. Conduct a literature review on pestevirus in sheep, and produce a short farmer fact sheet summarising what we know at present.
2. Meet with the producers to establish exactly what is occuring in their flocks.
3. Conduct a survey of sheep producers to establish the possible extent of the conditions on properties and the level of awareness.
4. Conduct an on-farm trial on the efficacy of the cattle vaccine in sheep.

A prospective study may also be conducted to follow the course of disease in a flock however this longer term study is likely to be carried out by a Doctoral student.