October 2026 – Joining Forces to Finish the Job on BVD

Animal Health Ireland (AHI) hosted the annual bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) alignment meeting in September, bringing together representatives of the BVD programmes from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England, alongside disease control bodies, research institutions and CHeCS, the body responsible for certifying and quality assuring licensed cattle health schemes across the UK and Ireland.

The meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of progress across the five jurisdictions and to share experiences and lessons from their respective BVD control and eradication programmes. All reported significant progress. In Ireland, compulsory tissue tag testing, introduced in 2013, has reduced the proportion of breeding herds affected by BVD from over 10% to less than 0.3% in 2025. Northern Ireland has reduced animal-level prevalence by around two thirds since its compulsory scheme began in 2016, while around 90% of Scottish herds now have a negative status. In Wales, legislation underpinning the compulsory programme came fully into effect on 1 July 2026, following the launch of a new database. England, meanwhile, is preparing for the introduction of a mandatory programme following strong support in its recent consultation.

A consistent message emerged from the programmes furthest along the eradication pathway: the relatively rapid gains achieved during the initial years become increasingly difficult to sustain as prevalence falls. Several programmes described reaching a plateau, with persistent pockets of infection requiring increasingly targeted measures. Pre-movement testing, forward tracing of animals from positive herds, tighter controls around retained persistently infected animals, and improved access to programme data all featured prominently in this year’s discussions.

Two cross-cutting challenges dominated the conversation. The first was the role of non-breeding herds. While the majority contain BVD-negative animals, establishing and maintaining confidence in their status can be more challenging, and views differed on the level of surveillance and controls required. The second was the role of marts and livestock movement, which repeatedly appeared in investigations of infection pathways. Participants agreed that both these areas warrant further analysis as programmes move closer to eradication.

The meeting also highlighted the value of transparency and mutual learning. Public dashboards, publication of compliance data and the sharing of case studies were identified as useful tools for supporting farmer engagement and programme delivery. Delegates also exchanged practical lessons on enforcement, communication, biosecurity and approaches to addressing the remaining affected herds.

Cross-border cooperation remained central to the discussion. With substantial movement and trade in cattle between jurisdictions, delegates recognised that progress in one programme is closely linked to progress elsewhere. The meeting reaffirmed the value of continued collaboration, information sharing and alignment as all five jurisdictions work towards the common goal of BVD eradication.

The next alignment meeting will be held in Belfast in October 2027, coinciding with the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) congress.