Shedding of enteric coronavirus in adult cattle

Electron microscopic examination of fecal specimens from adult dairy cows indicated seasonal coronavirus shedding. Fifty-two cows from a 300 cow herd were monitored for shedding of coronavirus. Approximately 50% to 60% of the cows monitored shed coronavirus during the winter months (November to March) of the first year of the study. During 2 subsequent years of monitoring the same cows, 20% to 30% of the cows shed coronavirus during the winter months. Virus shedding was not detected during the summer months (July to September). Half of the cows monitored were vaccinated with a modified-live rotavirus-coronavirus-Escherichia coli combination vaccine; however, vaccination did not influence seasonal shedding of coronavirus, as compared with shedding in the nonvaccinated cows. In nonvaccinated cows that calved in the winter months, the incidence of coronavirus shedding increased from 20% to 30% during the last 2 months of gestation to 65% to 70% at parturition. In vaccinated cows, the incidence of shedding did not increase at parturition.