Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) Mandatory Eradication Scheme
Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) is a serious infectious disease and is of major economic importance to cattle farms.
It is thought that around 40% of all herds in Scotland have signs of exposure to BVD.
Clinical signs of BVD include abortion, infertility, diarrhoea, pneumonia, poor condition and failure to thrive. BVD is often fatal.
The disease is mainly spread by Persistently Infected, or PI, cattle. These are cattle born with the disease. They will have BVD all their lives and they shed virus extensively, infecting cattle around them. Most PI cattle die as calves but a few live much longer and many PI animals appear normal.
The Scottish Government believes that eradication will cut costs, improve income and enhance Scotland's reputation as a high-quality producer and is introducing mandatory annual screening tests for all breeding herds.
Keepers of breeding cattle herds will have to ensure their herds are screened for BVD each year, with a first test completed and recorded by the end of November 2012.
All calves born to any other type of herd (such as finishers) will have to be tested within 20 days of the birth.
If you are already in a BVD health scheme or have eliminated BVD on your own initiative you may not need to do anything extra.
The control of BVD on your farm is important and there is a range of testing methods available.
Control and prevention of the infection can only be achieved by applying strict biosecurity procedures, vaccination and long term control strategies which Ailsa and Paco would be happy to discuss with you.
Click here for further information on Mandatory testing for BVD by The Scottish Government.