From spring 2020, all farmers with a BVD (bovine viral diarrhoea) persistently infected (PI) animal must keep it separately housed with no contact with other animals.
The change is to reduce the risk to neighbouring farms and other animals within the herd. Enforcement of the new rule will be conducted through unannounced Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA) inspections.
The changes come as part of the phase five of the BVD eradication scheme which came into effect earlier this month. The mandatory scheme increases restrictions on cattle herds that have evidence of disease, with the goal of protecting BVD negative herds.
The new rules means that if a farmer retains a PI animal on their holding for more than 40 days their farm will be publicly listed on ScotEID. Other changes include:
BVD-positive herds will not be able to bring cattle on to their holding without a special licence.Animals joining a herd without a status can not leave the herd without an individual BVD-negative status unless going to slaughter within 40 days. To reduce tissue tagging errors, only the official ear tag for testing is to be used for taking samples. A retest sample for a BVD-positive animal must be taken by a vet. Laboratories must report test results within five days, which is a dramatic reduction of the previous 40-day requirement.Herds classified as BVD “not negative” or “positive” for 15 months or more must undertake compulsory BVD investigation. This investigation must be completed within 12 months.
From spring 2020, all farmers with a BVD (bovine viral diarrhoea) persistently infected (PI) animal must keep it separately housed with no contact with other animals.
The change is to reduce the risk to neighbouring farms and other animals within the herd. Enforcement of the new rule will be conducted through unannounced Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA) inspections.
The changes come as part of the phase five of the BVD eradication scheme which came into effect earlier this month. The mandatory scheme increases restrictions on cattle herds that have evidence of disease, with the goal of protecting BVD negative herds.
The new rules means that if a farmer retains a PI animal on their holding for more than 40 days their farm will be publicly listed on ScotEID. Other changes include:
BVD-positive herds will not be able to bring cattle on to their holding without a special licence.Animals joining a herd without a status can not leave the herd without an individual BVD-negative status unless going to slaughter within 40 days. To reduce tissue tagging errors, only the official ear tag for testing is to be used for taking samples. A retest sample for a BVD-positive animal must be taken by a vet. Laboratories must report test results within five days, which is a dramatic reduction of the previous 40-day requirement.Herds classified as BVD “not negative” or “positive” for 15 months or more must undertake compulsory BVD investigation. This investigation must be completed within 12 months. 
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