Scottish BVD Eradication Scheme: guidance

History of Scotland’s BVD eradication scheme

Phase 1: subsidised screening

Ran from September 2010 to April 2011. Breeding herds were encouraged to establish their BVD status through blood, milk or tissue testing for BVD virus or antibodies. The Scottish Government provided £36 towards testing for BVD for each herd, and a further £72 towards further testing or veterinary advice if the result was positive. Around 4,000 herds took advantage, at a cost of £180,000. 

Phase 2: mandatory annual screening

All keepers of breeding cattle herds were required to screen their herds for BVD by 1 February 2013, and annually thereafter. A range of testing methods was available. Also, where calves were born in non-breeding herds, they had to have a BVD status by the age of 40 days, or before moving off the holding if that occurred sooner.

Phase 3: control measures (reducing the spread of infection)

In 2012, the Scottish Government consulted on proposals to introduce control measures, including movement restrictions. These control measures came in to force in January 2014, and included:

• a ban on knowingly selling/moving cattle infected with BVD
• requiring the herd's BVD status to be declared before sale
• movement restrictions on untested herds/animals

Phase 4: enhanced testing and further movement restrictions

Controls introduced on 1 June 2015 included:

• movement restrictions on 'Not Negative' herds
• a reduction in the number of testing options available (milk testing no longer used in obtaining annual herd status)
• the requirement to test replacement animals from untested herds
• assumed negative status for dams of calves that had tested negative

Phase 5: protect Negative herds at all costs

Controls introduced on 1 December 2019 included:

• Movement restrictions on ‘Positive’ herds (i.e. those herds with one or more BVD virus positive animals in the herd)
• introduction of the PI locator
• introduction of the Compulsory BVD Investigation for herds that have been Not Negative continuously for 15 months
• requirement to test high risk animals before they leave breeding herds
• if BVD positive animals are re-tested, the sample must be taken by a vet
• when tissue tagging calves under 20 days old, the sample must be taken using the official ID tag

Controls introduced on 18 May 2020 included:

• Compulsory housing of BVD Positive animals in breeding herds, separately from those of other BVD status

Phase 6: additional controls for higher risk animals and herds

Controls introduced on 1 July 2025 included:

• Non-Breeding herds must separately house BVD Positive animals (bringing them in to line with breeding herds)
• Extension of PI locator to include Non-Breeding herds
• BVD management sampling tags can be used in all ages (revoked the prohibition of management sampling tags in calves under 20 days old)
• Introduced a delay to restrictions on BVD Positive herds: on moves will be restricted starting 40 days after the BVD positive result was uploaded to ScotEID.

Controls to be introduced on 1 February 2026 will include:

• Introduction of the overdue CBI herd list
• Movement restrictions for overdue CBI herds
• Mandatory BVD testing for calves of dams that moved on to the holding while pregnant