Livestock Matters - Summer 2016

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X LVETS NEWS
SUMMER 2016 ISSUE LIVESTOCK MATTERS 4
Why do we need to eradicate BVD
from England?
As we are aware, Bovine Viral Diarrhoea
or BVD is a highly contagious viral disease
of cattle, and one of the biggest disease
issues facing the UK cattle industry. BVD
has been estimated to cost between £13
and £301 per affected cow and it is
believed the national cost could be as high
as £61million per year.
What is BVDFree?
BVDFree is a national industry-led scheme
that launches on 1st July 2016 in England.
Over 70 industry companies and
organisations have pledged their support
for the scheme, which includes industry
bodies, pharmaceutical suppliers,
laboratories, tag manufacturers,
supermarkets and vets, among others.
The BVDFree scheme is based on achieving
the elimination of the disease through
identification and removal of animals
persistently infected (PI) with BVD. A
national database will support this by
storing individual and herd test results for
scheme members.
The BVDFree Scheme will be run on a
voluntary basis until the majority of the cattle
industry is covered by the scheme, when it
is hoped collaboration with the Government
will lead to the introduction of compulsory
measures. The ultimate aim for the scheme is
to achieve the eradication of Bovine Viral
Diarrhoea (BVD) virus from all cattle herds in
the country by 2022.
Why do we need BVDFree England?
By taking a coordinated approach across
the cattle industry, this scheme will make BVD
elimination possible. BVDFree England will
work in co-operation with the cattle industries
in Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Northern
Ireland to eradicate BVD from the islands of
Great Britain and Ireland.
Other countries have already taken action to
eradicate BVD because they recognise that
BVD is one of the biggest disease issues for
the cattle industry. The Scandinavian
countries Norway, Sweden, Finland and
Denmark have already eradicated BVD from
their national herds – so it can be done.
It’s time to take action:
● Ireland, Scotland and Northern Ireland
are already taking action to eradicate
BVD virus from their cattle herds through
national schemes.
● BVDFree England will be the first
national scheme in England.
● BVDFree will run a national database,
that will store individual and herd test
results for those that have joined the
scheme.
● BVDFree England will work in
cooperation with the cattle industries in
Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Northern
Ireland to eradicate BVD from the islands
of Great Britain and Ireland.
What do I need to do to join
BVDFree ?
By joining the scheme, you agree to:
✓ Actively engage in BVD control in order
to eradicate BVD from your herd.
✓ Report all BVD testing results from your
herd to the BVDFree database.
✓ Allow herd status/individual animal
status to be openly accessible through
the BVDFree database.
✓ Not move persistently infected (PI)
animals, other than directly to slaughter
(or through a dedicated red meat
slaughter market).
How does this scheme differ from
XLVets BVD CHECK TAG?
The XLVets BVD CHECK TAG scheme aims
to help farmers identify animals that have
had a BVD tissue sample test (TST)
performed.
The BVD CHECK website provides a
searchable database of all negative test
results for the scheme, for any tests that have
been completed.
The BVD CHECK TAG scheme will
continue to operate, and in the short-term
the database will still run to ensure any
outstanding submissions can be uploaded,
however farmers will be encouraged to join
the national BVDFree programme going
forward and display test results via this route.
The good news is that all existing BVD
CHECK TAG results will be imported to the
BVDFree database, unless a farmer requests
otherwise.
So what happens next?
XLVets has pledged to support the BVDFree
scheme and your practice will be able to
discuss with you how you can get involved.
Over the coming months, our BVD CHECK
TAG submission forms will migrate to offer
you the option to have results displayed on
the BVDFree database. In the meantime, if
you need any further information then either
contact your XLVets practice or visit the
BVDFree website
BVDFree England -
national BVD eradication
scheme launches