February 2, 2011

Wales begins cattle-screening for BVD

Wales' meat promotion body, Hybu Cig Cymru, has engaged 100 farms to screen their cattle at the Welsh Regional Vet Centre (WRVC) to control the costly bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) disease on their farms.

Veterinarian Stephen van Winden, who heads the WRVC, says the BVD disease, that worries many farmers, has become a real issue on farms and a pro-active approach is needed to control it. Mr Van Winden reckons the disease is endemic and that 10% of herds in Wales would include persistently infected cattle. As well as many other health issues, calf mortalities can rise to 15% in an infected herd, he says.

The project is being funded with GBP40,000 (US$64,608) from the Rural Development Plan for Wales and is being offered to farmers on a first-come first-served basis. And HCC chairman, Dai Davies, hopes it could lead to the eventual eradication of BVD in Wales.