Industries have indicated support for the recently produced Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) Code of Good Practice by Animal Health and Welfare NI (AHWNI) and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
The industries in support are all represented as part of the BVD Implementation Group, including the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU); Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC);and Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers Association (NIAPA).
Other industries include the following: Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI); AgriSearch; Association of Veterinary Surgeons Practising in Northern Ireland (AVSPNI); Northern Ireland Meat Exporters Association (NIMEA); and North of Ireland Veterinary Association (NIVA).
While identification and removal of BVD persistently infected cattle are the keys to controlling the disease, the new code provides farmers with information on how the disease can be controlled and eradicated in individual herds.
The code describes strategies for farm level, including good biosecurity to keep BVD out and to stop the virus spreading in a herd. Advice is also given around how to deal with BVD positive and inconclusive cattle to avoid herd restrictions.
Steps that are taken now to prevent BVD entering a herd or to stamp out any existing infection will reduce the risk of herd restrictions being applied in the future, according to DAERA.
Grace periods will only be in place for a limited time; and herd restrictions will be applied immediately to herds and their associated herds on disclosure of a BVD positive or inconclusive result from February 1 2026.
When DAERA’s computer system is sufficiently developed, herds that have been restricted due to the presence of a BVD positive animal will have individual restrictions placed on females of a breeding age (12 months and over).
These restrictions will remain in place after herd level restrictions are removed until action is taken to resolve their BVD risk status.
Owners of cattle with a ‘BVD Unknown’ (BVDU) status are urged to run tests as soon as possible to find out the correct status, due to ongoing concerns.
From June 2025, herd restrictions will be applied to herds with 20 or more BVDUs, and the threshold for movement restrictions will be reduced in subsequent months.
