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Growing number of cattle farms free of BVD
Bovine Viral Diarrhoea is one of the biggest issues faced by the cattle farming industry.

New figures show the continued success of voluntary database. 

The fight to eliminate Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) from all cattle in England is making progress, with a significant increase last year in the number of farms free of the disease.

The latest figures released by BVD Free England show that more than 350 additional farmers achieved BVD Free test status in 2022, taking the overall number to 1239. The voluntary scheme, launched in 2016, collects test data to provide a national database for the BVD status of individual animals and herds.

As the number of herds free of the disease grows, more farmers are joining the scheme. A total of 6659 holdings were registered with BVD Free England at the end of December 2022, an increase of 175 on the 6484 who were registered in July 2021. This means that 43.57 per cent of breeding cattle in England are now covered by the scheme.

Nicky Bowden, farm vet and a board member of both the BCVA and BVD Free England, said: “Combining the number of farmers using the BVD free database with those who are members of various CHECS schemes we can feel confident that we have quite a significant proportion of farmers managing the breeding cattle in England actively engaged, working towards BVD eradication.”

Tackling BVD is part of the Government’s Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, launched in 2022 to improve farm animal health and welfare. It is estimated that the disease costs the industry up to £36 million per year as well as increasing greenhouse gas emissions.  

Bill Mellor, chair of BVD Free England, said: “The English Animal Health and Welfare Pathway has recognised the importance of BVD control on farms by making it a priority disease for English cattle keepers and vets to engage with so it is important that we maintain momentum with the voluntary BVDFree scheme to demonstrate to the government that the industry is committed to BVD eradication.”

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."