Organised by the Northern Rivers Angus Breeders in conjunction with Angus Australia, Meat and Livestock Australia and the NSW Department of Primary Industries, the day will be held on June 28, starting 9.30am, at Craig and Renae Gape’s Rukenvale property north of Kyogle, just south of the Qld border.

Pestivirus issues for both the seedstock industry and commercial producers will be on the agenda.

Bovine pestivirus (also referred to as bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVD) and mucosal disease virus is a virus that is now recognised as an insidious cause of losses in beef and dairy herds in Australia.

Infection is widespread, with many herds having evidence of infection with this virus, even extensively managed beef herds.

Bovine pestivirus affects all types of cattle, and has probably been present in Australia as long as we have had cattle, the Qld DPI says.

In the past it has commonly been misdiagnosed as other cattle diseases.

In herds recently infected with pestivirus, production losses of between 25 and 40pc have been recorded due to reduced reproductive performance, death losses and ill thrift.

If pestivirus stays in the herd, annual production losses between 5 and 10pc commonly occur.

It is spread by close contact (nose-to-nose) between cattle.

The greatest period of spread is during yarding, particularly when cattle from different groups or herds are mixed together or penned in adjacent pens.

Other items on the agenda include herd vaccination programs as a control measure, while professional livestock judge Grame Hopf will talk on structural soundness in cattle.

* Cattle producers and agents are asked to register their intention to attend on 0410330407 or 0418639847.