7,000 Welsh farms are part of BVD eradication programme
7,000 Welsh farms have applied for the Gwaredu BVD (BVD eradication) programme that is to continue until 2020, informs Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC). The three-year programme is available to all beef and dairy farms in Wales and is financially supported by GBP 10 million.
BVD (Bovine Viral Diarrhoea) suppresses the immune system of cattle, leading to other health problems and reduced fertility. As well as impacting on animal health, it is estimated that a persistent BVD infection could cost the average Welsh beef herd £4500 a year.
Dr Neil Paton, of the Royal Veterinary College, said; "This is an important opportunity for the industry to cooperate and remove a disease for the good of the industry as a whole. Farmers and vets should take this opportunity at all levels of the supply chain to ensure that their farms are BVD free through this project."
The programme is managed by Coleg Sir Gâr in partnership with the Royal Veterinary College, with HCC and other industry bodies represented on the project planning board.
HCC’s Flock and Herd Health Executive, Dr Rebekah Stuart, said, "It was good to hear that the Gwaredu BVD project is progressing well, with over 7,000 farms now involved in the programme. The main mode of transmission of BVD on farms is through persistently infected livestock. Dealing with persistent diseases such as BVD is one of the most effective steps we can take to improve the profitability and sustainability of Welsh livestock production."
Free tests will be performed on herds in order to discover sick animals. The first 88 farms have now been recruited onto HCC’s health planning project, which is part of its Red Meat Development Programme and is supported by the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.
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