How much is it worth to eradicate BVD from dairy farms in North West England?

BVD eradication could be worth £15,000 a year, to individual dairy herds in the UK, a recent article in British Farmer & Grower (North West) states.

The article, written by Jeremy Hunt, discusses how BVD is introduced on to farm, the health problems that are caused by the infection, how to know whether BVD is present in a herd and how to initiate control of the disease.

The Moredun Research Institute’s (MRI) guidelines, to prevent introduction of BVD, are provided:

• Purchase cattle from farms that are Cattle Health Certification Standards (CHeCS) accredited BVD-free or animals that are individually certified virus-free and are vaccinated
• Isolate bought-in cattle before introduction to the main herd
• Prevent nose-to-nose contact between groups by providing a 3m wide gap between fences

In response to interest from farmers, the MRI is offering a BVD road-show, which provides further BVD control information and advice, to any area of the UK where groups of farmers want more information. One of their aims is to raise awareness of the benefits which would be associated with the national herd achieving a BVD-free status.

Read the end of the summary here!