BVD Stamp It Out

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) is an endemic disease which affects cattle. The disease costs dairy and beef businesses an estimated £61 million/year through the loss of performance, infertility, mortalities and slower growth rates.

DEFRA has made available £5.7 million of funding through the Rural Development Funding Programme in England (RDPE), aiming to raise the profile of the BVD virus in England. The project will engage veterinarians and farmers to investigate BVD at farm level, creating action plans to control, reduce and eliminate the disease. Opportunities will also arise to discuss matters with other likeminded farmers, discussing the most effective ways to manage the disease.

The five-step process of BVD Stamp It Out

  • Cluster meeting one: Involves numerous farmers learning about the project and BVD the disease.
  • Vet on farm visit one: Focus on BVD on the farm and check test animals.
  • Vet on farm visit two: Discuss findings of the check test, which may lead to a Persistent Infector (PI) hunt. But indefinitely a plan to reduce, eliminate and prevent the disease.
  • Cluster meeting two: Further involvement of groups of farmers sharing ideas, findings and control strategies.
  • Project survey: About six months after the project, farmers will be asked to complete a short survey on the project.

Testing

Throughout this project all vets’ time will be paid for through RDPE funding, with further subsidy for the check test (£61.80) and about 20% of farmers will be eligible for a PI hunt (£440 maximum). This entire project is available and free to cattle farmers in England.

For further information, please email Holly Yelland on hl@duchy.ac.uk