BVD eradication scheme phase 5 - December 2019: guidance

3. BVD Phase 5 from the 1st December 2019

Phase 5 aims to protect BVD Negative herds by increasing the responsibilities of cattle keepers whose herds are BVD Positive, or who have been BVD Not Negative for more than 15 months.

What's New?

Brief Overview

A. The PI Locator (see section 7 for definition of "PI")

This is a list available for all to view on ScotEID.com that displays the CPH of all herds that have had suspect or confirmed BVD PI animals in the herd for more than 40 days.

B. Movement Restrictions

A herd that is BVD Positive cannot bring any cattle into the herd. This is from the time any animal is identified as a suspected PI. Cattle may move in under licence.

The restriction is lifted when:

• on retest, the animal has not been confirmed as a PI, or
• the suspected PI animal is removed to slaughter or killed on farm.

C. The Compulsory BVD Investigation (CBI)

Herds that have remained BVD Not Negative for more than 15 months must undergo a CBI, which involves getting an individual status for every untested animal in the herd.

D. Animals brought into a breeding herd that are classed as 'risky' cannot leave the herd without an individual BVD Negative or Assumed Negative status.

E. The use of an official tag for tissue tagging

If a calf is tissue tagged under 20 days old, the tag used must be one of the calf's official tags.

F. Retest of a BVD Positive animal

A retest sample of a BVD Positive animal must be taken by a vet.

G. Reporting of test results

Test results must be reported and uploaded to ScotEID within 5 days of laboratory testing.

H. Separate housing for BVD Positive animals

An additional biosecurity control will be introduced in spring 2020. All BVD Positive animals must be housed separately from other cattle.

Further information can be found below.

A. PI Locator

From 1st December 2019, BVD Positive herds are listed by CPH number on the ScotEID website in a PI locator list. The CPH appears in the PI Locator List when an animal identified as a PI is still in the herd 40 days after the result was uploaded. The 40-day delay in publishing is to allow time for retesting and/or removal. If the PI is no longer in the herd at 40 days, the CPH of the herd will not be listed.

As soon as all PIs are removed from the herd, the CPH number will no longer appear on the list and the herd status is set to BVD Not Negative.

This measure alerts neighbours to a BVD risk in their area to promote good biosecurity, protect in-calf cows and reduce the likelihood of purchases from Positive herds. It is illegal to sell PI animals, but other animals from Positive herds may be transiently infected and therefore a disease risk.

B. Restriction on moves into the herd

Keepers cannot bring cattle into BVD Positive herds. The only exception to this rule is that APHA can license animals onto the holding under exceptional circumstances, e.g. animals that have left the farm temporarily for veterinary treatment, animals that have strayed, or a movement that is already underway. As soon as the PIs are retested Negative or removed from the herd, the status will return to BVD Not Negative.

C. The Compulsory BVD Investigation

Who is affected?

Breeding herds that have been BVD Not Negative for more than 15 months.

Purpose:

To find out if there are BVD PI animals in the breeding herds whose BVD Herd status has remained BVD Not Negative.

Impact:

A breeding herd that undertakes a Compulsory BVD Investigation must obtain an individual BVD Negative status for each animal, usually by testing all animals. You do not need to test animals that already have individual BVD Negative or Assumed Negative status.

Outcome:

When all animals are BVD virus tested and only animals with a BVD Negative or Assumed Negative status are in the herd, the vet submits a CBI confirmation certificate to ScotEID declaring the breeding herd BVD Negative. The Compulsory BVD Investigation is then complete.

When PIs are found:

If PIs are found during the CBI, the herd status becomes BVD Positive and movement restrictions apply - no cattle can be brought in (except under licence). Should the PIs remain in the herd for more than 40 days, the CPH will be added to the PI Locator list on ScotEID. Removal of the PIs as soon as they are found avoids both the movement restrictions and appearing on the PI locator list.

After the Compulsory BVD Investigation:

Breeding herds that have completed the CBI must continue to BVD virus test calves born into the herd for a further 12 months from the date of the vet certificate. The testing can be by tissue tag or blood samples. If using tissue tags on calves under 20 days old, the tag must be one of the official tags.

Timeframe:

12 months is given to complete the CBI. If the breeding herd has been unable to test all animals in the 12 month timeframe allowed, or there are BVD PI animals present, the BVD Policy Team reviews the steps taken during the CBI and considers whether the farmer is in breach of the legislation.

Concerns:

The BVD Helpline on 0300 244 9823 is available Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm, to respond to concerns and answer queries on all aspects of BVD including BVD Phase 5 and the introduction of the CBI.

To see the order of events in a CBI, see table opposite. Remember that any animal can move directly to slaughter at any time without BVD testing.

D. Risky

'Risky' animals are cattle without an individual BVD status that either:

• come from BVD Not Negative herds in Scotland,
• were born in Non-breeding herds in Scotland, or
• were brought in from outside Scotland (Note: if BVD virus tested and this has been completed by a Scottish Government approved laboratory, then it is possible to get these results uploaded to ScotEID).

These animals are given an individual status of BVD Not Negative on arrival into the herd. They must be tested for the BVD virus within 40 days of joining the herd, and before moving out of the herd if this occurs sooner. This process prevents 'risky' animals from being moved through BVD Negative herds and potentially being sold under false pretences. If the 'risky' animal is moved directly to an abattoir within 40 days of arrival, it does not need a BVD individual status.

The Event	The Farmer	Impact
		Movements		Herd Status
		Outward	Inward
More than 15 months BVD Not Negative	Receives a letter/email from ScotEID explaining a Compulsory BVD Investigation must now be undertaken, including a list of animals in the herd requiring individual BVD status.	BVD Negative or Assumed Negative	No restrictions	BVD Not Negative
Test all animals with no individual BVD status	Arranges to have all animals without a BVD Negative or Assumed Negative status tested for virus/antigen, and animals that have joined the herd since the letter. Assumed Negative status for dams of calves that test Negative	BVD Negative or Assumed Negative	No restrictions	BVD Not Negative
If PI found - go to A else go to B
A - suspected PI found
Check the results One animal tested BVD Positive	Receives test results from the lab and on ScotEID checks that the results of all animals are present (a misread ID can cause a result to be missing).	BVD Negative or Assumed Negative	No movements except under licence.	BVD Positive
3 weeks after first test of PI	Arranges for the vet to retest the suspected PI.	BVD Negative or Assumed Negative	No movements except under licence.	BVD Positive
Check result	Result of retest is negative - go to B Result of retest is positive - PI confirmed - remove PI	BVD Negative or Assumed Negative	No movements except under licence.	BVD Positive
Removal of PI	Removes the PI animal - kills on farm or sends direct to slaughter - go to B	BVD Negative or Assumed Negative	No restrictions	BVD Not Negative
B - All tested & no PI
CBI confirmation certificate	Contacts Vet and asks for CBI confirmation certificate. Certificate signed.	No restrictions	No restrictions	BVD Negative
Test all calves born in next 12 months for BVD virus	Must continue to test calves for BVD virus for a further 12 months.	No restrictions (unless one or more calves test Positive)	No restrictions (unless one or more Positives)	BVD Negative
12 months completed	Notify laboratory on submission form that it is the end of calving and lab will set Negative herd status. Check on ScotEID that this has been set. Farmer can decide on screening option to continue BVD testing.	No restrictions	No restrictions	BVD Negative

E. The use of an official tag for tissue tagging

If a calf is tissue tagged under 20 days old, the tag must be one of the calf's official tags (primary or secondary), unless:

• tissue sampling has already been attempted unsuccessfully with an official tag, or
• the calf has died before the sample is taken;

in either case, the sample may be taken with a management tag.

F. Retest of a BVD Positive animal

A retest sample of a BVD Positive animal must be taken by a vet.

G. Reporting of test results

Test results must be reported and uploaded to ScotEID within 5 days of laboratory testing.

H. Separate housing for BVD Positive animals

In spring 2020, an additional control will be introduced for BVD Positive animals. They will have to be housed separately from other cattle in order to protect neighbouring herds and reduce spread of BVD within their own herd. BVD Positive animals can be housed together if appropriate. Where there is only one BVD positive animal, it can be housed with one other animal to safeguard its welfare. The companion animal must be selected to have a very low risk of spreading BVD. APHA will do unannounced inspections of BVD Positive animals to ensure that they are housed appropriately. Detailed information will be available early in 2020.