There’s hopes an improved vaccine against an infectious disease running rife through New Zealand cattle could ease costs for farmers. 

The Ministry for Primary Industries is backing a project which aims to develop a modified vaccine against Bovine Viral Diarrhoea. 

It impacts about 80% of our dairy and beef herds and costs the industry more than $190 million each year. 

Research lead John Moffat told Mike Hosking that it's one of the many threats farmers face. 

He says the virus is one of the most important issues needing to be dealt with in the cattle industry. 

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