Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD)

On 1st March 2016, DAERA introduced legislation which requires herd keepers to tag and test all newborn calves for BVD.

This legislation is being implemented on a day-to-day basis by the industry body Animal Health and Welfare Northern Ireland (AHWNI). 

Detailed guidance on the control of BVD on farm can be found in the BVD Code of Good Practice.

For further information, please refer to the AHWNI website.

Latest situation

At the end of September 2024, herd level incidence was 2.43% (for the 12 months from 1st October 2023) representing a decrease of 74% from the end of the first year of the programme. Animal incidence was 0.201%.

On 1st February 2025, new BVD legislation will come into force which gives DAERA powers to apply herd restrictions to herds with BVD positive or inconclusive animals, and to herds with animals of unknown BVD status. Further details on the implementation of herd restrictions.

Legislation is also being amended to require animals born before 1st March 2016 to be BVD tested with a negative result before they can move. This will impact less than 600 older animals and affected keepers will be contacted in advance of this change, which will be implemented from 1st March 2025. 

BVD is a Notifiable Disease

From 8th November 2023, you are required to inform DAERA immediately if you suspect or detect BVD.

• If a Private Veterinary Practitioner (PVP) is consulted to examine a suspect animal, it is expected that they will inform DAERA. Brief details of the case should be sent to BVDadmin@daera-ni.gov.uk 
• Diagnostic or screening samples (bloods, bulk milk etc) will be notified to DAERA directly by the laboratory.
• Positive BVD virus test results from ear-tag testing will be notified to DAERA automatically via the Animal Health and Welfare Northern Ireland database.

Exporting cattle to EU Member States with an approved BVD eradication programme or BVD free status

Visit this page for more information on BVD requirements to export cattle to EU Member States with an approved BVD eradication programme or BVD free status.

Further information on exporting breeding / production cattle to EU member States direct from their premises of origin, please visit Export certification for breeding / production cattle to EU Member States direct from their premises of origin and from an Export Assembly Centre visit Export certification for breeding / production cattle to EU Member States from an export assembly centre.

Guidance for authorised Private Veterinary Practitioners can be found at BVD Guidance for aPVP.

Establishment Free from BVD

If your herd meets the requirements of Establishment Free from BVD this will reduce the testing and quarantine which may otherwise be needed before exporting animals to an EU Member State with an approved BVD eradication programme, or BVD Free Status. Document EF1 explains the requirements of an Establishment Free from BVD. If you believe you meet these requirements you can apply for Establishment Free from BVD status using form EF2.

BVD legislation

The Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Eradication Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 contains a number of measures aimed at reducing levels of BVD in NI.

It requires herd keepers to tag and test all calves for presence of the BVD virus (BVDV) as soon as is possible after birth or at least within 20 days. Bovines that enter herds after birth also need tested, either by blood or tissue sampling, as soon as possible or within 20 days of entry to the herd.

The 2016 Order was amended by The Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Eradication Scheme (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 to extend the testing requirements to animals born before 1st March 2016, which previously did not require to be tested.

Any animals that test positive (or inconclusive) must be isolated from the rest of the herd in separate housing from other cattle. As strict isolation is critical to prevent the spread of infection to other animals DAERA carry out unannounced isolation inspections and enforcement action is taken if necessary.

There is no requirement to remove a positive animal. However, individual animals that have not received a BVD negative test result cannot be moved off farm other than to slaughter (if they have been tested), for rendering or under licence issued by the Department.

The overarching objective of the policies is to control and eventually eradicate BVD from all cattle in NI. This will result in improved animal health and increased productivity and profitability for farmers and, consequently, the wider Agri-food industry. It will also bring environmental and wider societal benefits.

The Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Control Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 gives DAERA powers to address the key issues which are delaying progress towards BVD eradication in NI.

Movement restrictions will be applied to herds in which one or more animals have given a positive or inconclusive test result, and to herds with animals of unknown BVD status.

From 1st February 2026, following a positive test result, all females in the herd over 12 months old will be restricted from moving to another herd for 41 weeks. This measure is necessary as the female could be pregnant and carrying a BVD infected calf, which would result in the spread of BVD to another herd if the animal had been allowed to move. Options are available to shorten the period of restriction.

Clinical Signs of BVD

BVD is a viral disease of cattle caused by BVD virus. Infection can result in a wide range of clinical signs including:

• Reproductive problems, including failure to conceive, abortion and birth defects.
• Respiratory disease
• Fever, loss of appetite and diarrhoea
• Mucosal Disease (MD) which is a severe and fatal wasting condition with diarrhoea and ulceration of the gut and feet. This typically occurs between 6 and 18 months of age.
• Weakening of the immune system, leaving cattle more susceptible to other infections, particularly scours and pneumonia in calves.

Calves that become infected with the virus approximately between the 30th and 120th day of gestation become persistently infected (PI). They do not develop immunity to the disease and shed the virus at high levels for life. As such, they are the most significant source of infection within a herd. PI calves may look normal but the majority die before the age of two, without reaching breeding age or slaughter weight, either from mucosal disease or other infections. PI animals can look entirely normal, particularly at birth, but may become stunted and ill-thriven.

List of laboratories approved for BVD testing

• Table of laboratories approved by DAERA to provide BVD test results for the Northern Ireland BVD eradication scheme.
• Press Releases