BVD Cymru Eradication Scheme.

From July 2026, it is a legal requirement for all Welsh farms to test for BVD.

What is BVD?

BVD is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle causing:

• Infertility, abortions and empty cows

• The birth of weak and deformed calves

• Increasing cases of pneumonia, scour and youngstock mortality

BVD is spread through direct contact and bodily fluids. If cows are exposed to the BVD virus during early pregnancy, they may produce a Persistently Infected (PI) calf. PI animals will always secrete BVD virus and so are a major source of infection within the herd and need to be removed.

BVD Cymru Eradication Scheme aims to screen for PI’s and remove them from herds to prevent the transmission of BVD.

What actions must I take?

From July 2026, it is a legal requirement for all Welsh farms to test for BVD.

This involves testing 5 animals aged 9-18 months old from each management group on farm for BVD antibodies. Antibodies indicate BVD exposure.

If you do not have the right age of animals, speak to us for advise about who to test instead.

Farms who have NOT tested will be put under movement restrictions.

It will also be an ongoing requirement for all farms, no matter their status, that any stock bought in from England must be BVD tested within 20 days of arriving on farm by your vet.

What do the test results mean?

If all animals tested NEGATIVE

You will be classed as a ‘Negative’ herd meaning you are able to move stock on and off farm freely with no movement restrictions or testing requirement until your annual youngstock screen next year.

If one or more animals test POSITIVE

• Your herd will be classed as ‘Non-negative’ status herds and will be put on movement restrictions.

• Animals may still be moved while under movement restrictions, but each animal must first be tested for BVD antigen by a vet to confirm they are not persistently infected (PI).

• No testing is required for stock going straight to slaughter

• If the animal tests negative, the animal has a movement license for 60 days.

How do I gain a negative status?

If you have had positive animals on your screening test, in order to regain a ‘negative’ status, and have movement restrictions lifted, you must perform a PI hunt - this involves blood testing EVERY animal on farm for BVD antigen/PCR by your vet. All PI animals must then be removed from the herd before your herd status will be reverted.

Persistently infected (PI) animals cannot move off farm apart from to slaughter.

We’re here to help!

If you have any questions about the BVD Cymru Eradication scheme, what this means for your farm specifically or want further advise on how to prevent BVD, then please do not hesitate to give us a call to discuss the scheme further with a vet.

Please contact us on 01453 511311