Strict new rules coming in bid to eradicate disease
Additional, stricter requirements come into operation for cattle owners next week with a further tightening of Scotland’s scheme to eradicate the disease bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) from the national herd.
From next Monday, all animals identified as being persistently infected (PI) with the disease must be put into “lockdown” – and kept in strict isolation away from other stock.
NFU Scotland, which is backing the scheme, said that the latest figures showed that, with the BVD eradication plan now in phase five, “significant progress” towards eradicating the disease entirely continued.
Welcoming the “great strides” which had been made, the union’s animal health and welfare policy manager Penny Middleton issued a warning.
“However, persistently infected animals are the biggest cause of spreading BVD and best practice involves removing them from a herd as soon as they are identified,” said Middleton.
She said that where herds chose to retain high-risk animals, then housing and isolation could prevent further spread of infection within the herd – and, perhaps more importantly, help protect neighbouring herds from infection: “Many of those neighbours will have invested significant time and money in BVD eradication plans that risk being undone through any contact with PI animals.”
She admitted that the new rules were expected not only to help protect the national herd against further infection, but would also serve as a disincentive to those who insisted on keeping persistently infected animals.
The latest statistics showed that, across 10,691 holdings in Scotland, more than half a million cattle were being tested and screened for BVD each year.
“Figures for May suggest that 48 Scottish holdings currently retain 122 PI cattle and, if these animals remain on farm, then they will be required to meet the new rules,” stated Middleton, who also said that while PI animals had to be housed separately from other stock, good biosecurity had to be practised, with proper cleaning and disinfection of any equipment and clothing moving between groups.
● The organising committee behind the National Sheep Association’s “Scotsheep” event – due to take place in May, then subsequently postponed until July, have announced that they have “taken the regrettable decision” to further postpone the event until My 2021 due to the Covid crisis.
The event will still take place at Hazel and Robert Mcnee’s Over Finlarg farm near Dundee.
Jennifer Craig, NSA Scotland chairman, said: “We are really disappointed to have to postpone Scotsheep until next May as plans for the event were well advanced. We can see that restrictions on social distancing and large gatherings of people will be in force for the considerable future as we all try and reduce the spread of Covid-19.
Craig admitted that postponing the event would have a severe impact on NSA Scotland finances: “However, through the support of our many sponsors and trade exhibitors, we will get through this and look forward to delivering this crucial event for the sheep industry in Scotland and further afield.”