Rural Payments and Services

Commenting on the introduction of a new BVD ‘positive’ herd status, Rural Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “Eradicating BVD is an important step for the industry.

"Controlling the disease is centred on the identification of persistently infected animals and the timely removal of these animals from the herd.

"Such control measures are estimated to save the industry between £50-80 million over a ten year period.

“That is why I am today announcing my intention to introduce a new BVD ‘positive’ status, which will make the current eradication scheme easier to understand for our farmers.

"This is an important change as it will highlight for the first time herds that pose a higher BVD risk for those purchasing or moving cattle.

“This positive status will only apply to herds that are likely to have a live persistently infected animal.

"Once the infected animal has been removed, or the presence of the virus has been ruled out, the BVD herd status will revert back to the current ‘not-negative’ status.

“BVD is one of the most important disease of cattle in terms of economic cost and welfare.

"That is why the cattle industry in Scotland, supported by the Scottish Government, remains determined to eradicate this disease from our herds.”