NAHMS_405 Beef 2017 BVD Testing Collection Record

National Animal Health
Monitoring System
Animal and
Plant Health
Inspection
Service
Veterinary
Services

Beef 2017
BVD Testing
Collection Record

2150 Centre Ave, Bldg B
Fort Collins, CO 80526
Form Approved
OMB Number: 0579-0326
Expires: xxxx

Thank you for participating in the NAHMS Beef Study and for taking the time to sample your calf
crop for persistent infection with Bovine Viral Disease (BVD) virus. In order for the testing results to
be accurate and of value to your operation, be sure to review all of the materials received and to
follow collection and shipping instructions carefully. Your confidential results will be mailed directly
to you approximately 14-21 days after they are tested at the lab.

Collection Considerations
All young, preweaned calves born from November 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018, should be sampled. The
sample consists of a small tissue notched from the ear. Two ear notches should be taken from each calf.
You will need to provide regular household bleach (the label should say 5% sodium hypochlorite) for
disinfecting ear notchers between each calf. It was not practical to include a disinfectant in the kit. You will
need two pails: one to hold the bleach solution, and one with water to rinse the notchers after disinfection.
Mix one cup of bleach per gallon of water for the disinfecting solution. If the label of the bleach container
says “concentrated,” then these mixing instructions do not apply. Regular 5% bleach is recommended.
Nolvasan can be used as an alternative to bleach.
The calf will need to be identifiable (e.g., with an ear tag) in order to match results to animal.
You will need to freeze the tissues as soon as possible on the day of collection.
You can take samples throughout the calving period or all at the same time (e.g., when you process calves).
Shipping guidelines must be met.
 Samples need to be frozen for at least 12 hours before they are shipped to the laboratory.
 Samples must be shipped the same day they are removed from the freezer and boxed.
 Samples must be shipped on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday
Check Federal Express Availability.
 Samples will be shipped overnight via Federal Express. Contact FedEx to determine local drop-off and
hours of operation for a location that accepts Priority Overnight packages. 1-800-gofedex (1-800-4633339) or www.fedex.com
The last day to collect samples is July 15, 2018. The last day to ship samples is July 16, 2018.

Sample Shipping Considerations
If you plan to collect samples as calves are born or are expecting over 150 calves, you are encouraged to
submit a portion of the samples halfway through the calving season. Not only will this help with the
laboratory flow of samples, but you will receive the results for these older calves earlier. The sooner you
know if a calf is positive, the sooner you can make a management decision regarding the calf.
If you only received an Initial Kit and would like to send samples in two batches, please contact Abby Zehr
(970-494-7252) ([email protected]) to receive another box.

Please Check Kit Contents
Initial Kit:
1 ear notcher

sample bags*
3 ziplock bags
1 liner bag
4 ice packs
pen
paperwork
*A standard Kit has 150 sample bags, your kit may have more or less depending on number of calves expected
Paperwork consists of:
These collection and shipping instructions
3-part carbonless paper collection form
1 prepaid, business-reply envelope addressed to NAHMS
1 prepaid/pre-addressed FedEx airbill

Secondary Kit:
Depending on the size of the expected calf crop or if samples will be sent to the lab in batches, you may
have received an additional box called a Secondary Kit. Secondary Kits contain a liner bag, sample bags,
ziplock bags, ice packs, pen and paperwork. If you are missing materials or have any questions, contact
Abby Zehr (contact info is on first page).

Sample Bag
SUGGESTION: Tear off and discard the clear strip on the bags before going out into the field.
Legibly write the Calf ID on the bag.
 The ID must be readable and
complete enough in order to match
results back to the appropriate calf.
 Use the supplied permanent pen.
Check the age range of the calf.
 Less than 3 weeks
 3 weeks to 3 months
 More than 3 months

Make sure 1 age
range is clearly
marked

BVD Testing Collection Record
You need to complete a separate Collection Record for each box sent to the laboratory.
Example
Complete the Collection Record.
 Be sure information records through
all 3 pages of the carbonless form.
State and Operation Number
 Write in your state.
 The operation number that your
NAHMS data collector wrote on the
Producer Agreement.
Enter the number of boxes you are
shipping TODAY.
Enter the number of samples in the box
being sent with this paperwork. Each
box of samples must have its own
Collection Record and Calf ID list.
List the Calf IDs being sent in this box.
 If more than 150 samples in this
box, continue listing on a separate
piece of paper.

Collection Instructions
IT IS CRITICAL that the base of the notcher is set fully on the calf’s ear.
The lab needs the full triangle cut in order to test.
NOTE: The ear (on right) is shaved to show correct placement of notcher.
Samples will more likely be covered with hair.

NOTE: The tissue
notched from the
ear is small and
can easily be lost if
it falls to the
ground.

Prepare a disinfecting
solution by adding 1 cup
5% bleach per gallon of
water. Fill another pail
with water. After each calf,
rinse the ear notcher in
the bleach bucket and
then rinse in the water
bucket. It is recommended
to replace the solutions in
each pail every 25 calves.

1. Secure the calf.

2. Expose the soft tissue
around the ear.

CRITICAL
3. Fully set the
notcher over the
ear and squeeze.
Place the ear
notch in a sample
bag
It is okay to take
hair, but insure that
the full triangle of
tissue is cut.
4. Work ear
notches to bottom
of bag as shown
on the right.
Remove air, fold
down twice, and
bend ties to
secure closed.
6. Place samples in one of the gallon-size
ziplock bags and freeze as soon as possible.
 Take precautions to avoid contamination if you
must freeze the samples in your kitchen freezer.

4. Take the second ear
notch from the same calf
and place in the bag with
the first ear notch.

5. Label the sample using
a permanent-ink marker
(such as the one supplied).
 Write the Calf ID
clearly and check the
age category.
 Do not fold ties such
that they obscure the Calf
ID number.
7. Samples must be frozen for 12 hours before they
are shipped to the laboratory.

Shipping Instructions
Freeze ice packs solid before shipping to lab.
Samples must be frozen at least 12 hours and kept frozen until shipped.
NOTE: Before preparing the box for shipping, record onto the 3-part BVD Testing Collection Record
the Calf IDs from the sample bags. The list does not need to be in any particular order.

1. Place the liner bag in Styrofoam box.
2. Put 2 frozen ice packs in bottom of bag.
3. Place the ziplock bags containing samples on
top of the ice packs.

Original form in
ziplock bag.

5. Put the original
Collection Record
with Calf IDs in a
ziplock bag and
place between the
Styrofoam lid and
outer box lid.
 Use strapping
tape to seal box.

4. Put in two more
frozen ice packs.
 Fill in extra
space with
newspaper.
 Squeeze air out
of liner and tie.

6. Remove or
blackout old labels
on outside of box.
7. Secure the peel &
stick FedEx airbill on
top of the box.
Drop off at a FedEx
location.

8. Mail the yellow
copy of the form to
NAHMS using the
prepaid, businessreply envelope.
 Keep the pink
copy for your
records.

Fed Ex will not accept or will pull a box in transit if it appears to be leaking.
They will also not accept packages with old labels on the box.
Delays like these may affect the quality of samples arriving at the lab.
Pack the samples and ice packs inside the liner bag and tie or tape the liner shut.
Remove or thoroughly blackout the label addressed to you when the package was delivered.

National Animal Health
Monitoring System

Animal and
Plant Health
Inspection
Service
Veterinary
Services

2150 Centre Ave, Bldg B
Fort Collins, CO 80526

Beef 2017
BVD Testing Collection Record

Form Approved
OMB Number 0579-0326
Expires:

Samples must be shipped on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.
State:

How many sample
boxes are you sending
TODAY.

Operation Number:

(from Producer Agreement

How many samples
are in THIS box?

Kit Number:

)
Each box of samples must have its own set of
paperwork and Calf ID list.

Beginning on Line 1 below, please list the Calf ID, as recorded on the individual
sample bag label, for all samples being sent in this box. They do not need to be listed in
any particular order. This facilitates the lab process and ensures that all samples are received.
1 _______________

12 _______________

23 _______________

34 _______________

2 _______________

13 _______________

24 _______________

35 _______________

3 _______________

14 _______________

25 _______________

36 _______________

4 _______________

15 _______________

26 _______________

37 _______________

5 _______________

16 _______________

27 _______________

38 _______________

6 _______________

17 _______________

28 _______________

39 _______________

7 _______________

18 _______________

29 _______________

40 _______________

8 _______________

19 _______________

30 _______________

41 _______________

9 _______________

20 _______________

31 _______________

42 _______________

10 _______________

21 _______________

32 _______________

43 _______________

11 _______________

22 _______________

33 _______________

44 _______________

CALF ID List continues on next page
Mail the original copy of this form to the laboratory along with the samples.
Send a copy to NAHMS using the attached business-reply envelope. Keep a copy for your records.
Thank you.
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond
to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information
collection is 0579-0326. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 2.5 hours per response,
including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and
completing and reviewing the collection of information.

Original copy to lab with samples

NAHMS-405
AUG 2017

Continue the list of Calf ID’s for the samples sent in one box to the lab.

State: _________

Operation: ___________

Kit #: _________

45 _______________

72 _______________

99 _______________

126 _______________

46 _______________

73 _______________

100 _______________

127 _______________

47 _______________

74 _______________

101 _______________

128 _______________

48 _______________

75 _______________

102 _______________

129 _______________

49 _______________

76 _______________

103 _______________

130 _______________

50 _______________

77 _______________

104 _______________

131 _______________

51 _______________

78 _______________

105 _______________

132 _______________

52 _______________

79 _______________

106 _______________

133 _______________

53 _______________

80 _______________

107 _______________

134 _______________

54 _______________

81 _______________

108 _______________

135 _______________

55 _______________

82 _______________

109 _______________

136 _______________

56 _______________

83 _______________

110 _______________

137 _______________

57 _______________

84 _______________

111 _______________

138 _______________

58 _______________

85 _______________

112 _______________

139 _______________

59 _______________

86 _______________

113 _______________

140 _______________

60 _______________

87 _______________

114 _______________

141 _______________

61 _______________

88 _______________

115 _______________

142 _______________

62 _______________

89 _______________

116 _______________

143 _______________

63 _______________

90 _______________

117 _______________

144 _______________

64 _______________

91 _______________

118 _______________

145 _______________

65 _______________

92 _______________

119 _______________

146 _______________

66 _______________

93 _______________

120 _______________

147 _______________

67 _______________

94 _______________

121 _______________

148 _______________

68 _______________

95 _______________

122 _______________

149 _______________

69 _______________

96 _______________

123 _______________

150 _______________

70 _______________

97 _______________

124 _______________

71 _______________

98 _______________

125 _______________

Continue on another
Calf ID List or sheet
of paper.

Original copy to lab with samples