Advanced Screening System for Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Introduced by Animal Profiling International; Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Technology Provides a Low-Cost Solution to Address Spread of Costly Virus.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Animal Profiling International (API), a technology company dedicated to the improvement of animal health management, today announced a novel-screening tool to detect cattle persistently infected (PI) with Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV). Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) screening technology offers producers an extremely accurate, yet cost-effective method to clear BVD PI animals from their herds in an effort to reduce the estimated two billion dollars in annual losses suffered by the cattle industry due to BVD in both 2004 and 2005.

BVD PI animals are difficult to recognize due to the fact that they rarely show visible symptoms. Approximately 10% of beef cow herds have at least one PI animal that anonymously infects others by spreading the virus in the herd. Studies show that the additional expense incurred once this virus in introduced into a herd runs as high as $56 per head. API's unique PCR screening allows large pools of samples to be screened at a significantly reduced price to current standard testing methodologies.

"The tragedy of this disease is that it costs the industry billions of dollars even though excellent vaccines are available," stated Bruce Hoffman, DVM and president of API. "A persistently infected animal can shed up to 10 million virus particles a day over its lifespan, achieving infection rates that literally overpower other animals' immune systems. Our screening method provides a low-cost approach to locate and remove the persistently infected carriers and enhance herd health and performance."

API's dedicated laboratory provides clients with next-business-day results. The expedited service provides management with the information necessary for quick decision-making in order to protect their herd.

"The extraordinary sensitivity and specificity of our assay methodology provides remarkably high levels of accuracy, giving our clients the comfort they need in order to make difficult treatment decisions in a timely manner," said Gary Rosenberg, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of API. "Using the PCR screen allows us to continue our goal of providing management over medicine approaches to the cattle industry."

Ray Rogers, chairman of API, adds, "There are current initiatives by the National Cattlemen Beef Association, American Association of Bovine Practitioners, The Academy of Veterinary Consultants, plus state livestock associations to develop effective control programs for BVDV. We're glad to support these efforts by providing our PCR screening method to help aid the success of these programs."

For more information on Bovine Viral Diarrhea and the tests API provides, visit www.animalprofiling.com.

About API

Animal Profiling International, Inc. is an American company dedicated to the improvement of animal health management through risk-assessment technologies and advanced animal identification systems. The company's goal is to improve cattle health, performance, and management techniques for operators in the beef and dairy industries. API's industry experts provide the products and services that hands-on cattle managers need to make their jobs easier, more efficient, and more profitable. To find out more about API and the markets it serves, go to www.animalprofiling.com. The company is headquartered at 205 SE Spokane St., Suite 300, Portland, OR 97202-6413; phone: [phone]; email [e-mail]. API also has a branch office at 7175 Moonlight Drive, Manhattan, MT 59741; phone: [phone]. The toll-free number is 877-278-1344.

Animal Profiling International (API) is a trademark of Animal Profiling International, Inc.