Page 9 - eclipse - Autumn 2018

The RVC has taken a leading role in the eradication of disease in the cattle population in Wales. Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) is a viral disease of cattle that causes significant health, welfare
and productivity compromises in cattle herds worldwide through causing immunosuppression and increasing overall disease burden. Identifying infected farms and removing PI animals from the farm is key to eradicating disease in a national herd.
The Welsh government alongside representatives from the industry
made the decision that BVD should
be eliminated from the industry for the greater benefit. In order to deal with the disease a group was formed to create and deliver a plan. The RVC was represented by Dr Neil Paton – Lecturer in Farm Animal Health and Production.
The RVC provides leadership and technical direction to the programme. In collaboration with Coleg Sir Gâr,
a local Further Education College,
a Rural Development Plan – Wales grant of £10 million was awarded for the eradication of BVD in Wales. Testing of cattle is done by the farms’ usual veterinary surgeons as part of
the tuberculosis testing programme in Wales, where all farms are tested at least once annually.
Under the banner ‘Animal Health and Welfare Wales – Gwaredu BVD’, five cattle of 9-18 months are tested for BVD antibodies. This is typically carried out at the TB test and the results are returned by the day of the reading.
Animal Health and Welfare Wales – Gwaredu BVD was launched at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show in 2017 by the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs – Lesley Griffiths AM. Testing on farms started
a month later, after a month of CPD delivered by Neil Paton to the majority of vets in Wales about the programme.
Within 11 months of testing, 6000 herds had been tested in Wales – 52% of the total herds. From this it was shown that only 27% of herds were positive
for BVD.
In order to eradicate disease in Wales, Animal Health and Welfare Wales – Gwaredu BVD sponsors the testing for virus on antibody positive herds and an estimated 250 herds have started to detect and remove persistently infected
animals from the farm.
This programme will run until late 2020 meaning that all farms can be tested three times.
It is hoped that the RVC will continue to lead national disease eradication programmes under the banner Animal Health and Welfare Wales. Already under consideration at the request of the Welsh agricultural industry is a plan to control and eradicate sheep scab – Psoroptes ovis.
Through this programme, the RVC is making a direct and positive impact on the health, welfare and productivity of cattle in Wales. This will reduce antimicrobial usage on farms as the overall disease burden is reduced and may reduce environmental impact as raising cattle becomes more efficient. The knowledge, experience and reputation of the RVC as a source
of excellence in veterinary knowledge has been central to the success
of this project.
For more information, please visit:. https://bit.ly/2qzPzXG https://bit.ly/2E3MHrQ
GENERAL NEWS
RVC tests 6000 herds in Wales By Dr Neil Paton
Dr Neil Paton
Animal Health and Welfare Wales
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