Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on June 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
News & Reports Endemic diseases
BVA supports latest phase of BVD eradication scheme in Scotland THE BVA has given its full support to new control measures that will be introduced in Scotland next year as part of the Scottish Government’s bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) eradication programme. The BVD eradication scheme began in September 2010, with a subsidised screening programme, which ran until April 2011. Mandatory annual screening was then introduced, with all keepers of breeding cattle herds being required to screen their herds for BVD by February 1, 2013 and then annually thereafter. In January 2014, further compulsory control measures will come into force, with the aim of reducing the spread of the disease. The measures include a ban on the sale or movement of cattle known to be infected with BVD virus (both persistently and transiently infected animals), requiring keepers of all breeding herds to declare their most recent BVD status before the
sale of any animal, and placing temporary movement restrictions on untested herds or animals. Additional restrictions are planned for December 2014. Guidance is being issued to all farmers and the BVA is encouraging veterinary surgeons in Scotland to be ready to support their farming clients in complying with the new measures. ‘We have supported Scotland’s BVD eradication scheme throughout each of its phases and have championed this approach in other parts of the UK,’ said Robin Hargreaves, the BVA President. ‘Eradicating BVD will lead to increased production efficiency and better herd health that has the potential to save the cattle industry millions of pounds. ‘Moving to a compulsory phase makes complete sense and we are urging our members to make sure they are ready to support their clients comply with the new measures.’
Ronnie Soutar, president of the BVA’s Scottish Branch, noted that BVD could be ‘a crippling disease’ for farms, causing a range of reproductive problems, such as abortion and infertility, failure to thrive and death. ‘We are pleased that over 90 per cent of herds complied with mandatory testing in phase 2, demonstrating the desire from industry to tackle the disease head on,’ he said. ‘Vets in Scotland will be ready to offer ongoing advice and support to clients on all aspects of disease eradication, including testing and biosecurity.’ n More information about the BVD eradication scheme in Scotland can be found at www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/ farmingrural/Agriculture/animal-welfare/ Diseases/disease/bvd doi: 10.1136/vr.f6941
November 23, 2013 | Veterinary Record | 487
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on June 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
BVA supports latest phase of BVD eradication scheme in Scotland Veterinary Record 2013 173: 487
doi: 10.1136/vr.f6941 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/173/20/487
These include:
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To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
News & Reports Endemic diseases
BVA supports latest phase of BVD eradication scheme in Scotland THE BVA has given its full support to new control measures that will be introduced in Scotland next year as part of the Scottish Government’s bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) eradication programme. The BVD eradication scheme began in September 2010, with a subsidised screening programme, which ran until April 2011. Mandatory annual screening was then introduced, with all keepers of breeding cattle herds being required to screen their herds for BVD by February 1, 2013 and then annually thereafter. In January 2014, further compulsory control measures will come into force, with the aim of reducing the spread of the disease. The measures include a ban on the sale or movement of cattle known to be infected with BVD virus (both persistently and transiently infected animals), requiring keepers of all breeding herds to declare their most recent BVD status before the
sale of any animal, and placing temporary movement restrictions on untested herds or animals. Additional restrictions are planned for December 2014. Guidance is being issued to all farmers and the BVA is encouraging veterinary surgeons in Scotland to be ready to support their farming clients in complying with the new measures. ‘We have supported Scotland’s BVD eradication scheme throughout each of its phases and have championed this approach in other parts of the UK,’ said Robin Hargreaves, the BVA President. ‘Eradicating BVD will lead to increased production efficiency and better herd health that has the potential to save the cattle industry millions of pounds. ‘Moving to a compulsory phase makes complete sense and we are urging our members to make sure they are ready to support their clients comply with the new measures.’
Ronnie Soutar, president of the BVA’s Scottish Branch, noted that BVD could be ‘a crippling disease’ for farms, causing a range of reproductive problems, such as abortion and infertility, failure to thrive and death. ‘We are pleased that over 90 per cent of herds complied with mandatory testing in phase 2, demonstrating the desire from industry to tackle the disease head on,’ he said. ‘Vets in Scotland will be ready to offer ongoing advice and support to clients on all aspects of disease eradication, including testing and biosecurity.’ n More information about the BVD eradication scheme in Scotland can be found at www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/ farmingrural/Agriculture/animal-welfare/ Diseases/disease/bvd doi: 10.1136/vr.f6941
November 23, 2013 | Veterinary Record | 487
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on June 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
BVA supports latest phase of BVD eradication scheme in Scotland Veterinary Record 2013 173: 487
doi: 10.1136/vr.f6941 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/173/20/487
These include:
Email alerting service
Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article. Sign up in the box at the top right corner of the online article.
Notes
To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
