BVD is a very damaging disease that challenges animal welfare, efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and farm profitability. Yet it is a relatively straightforward disease that is entirely capable of being controlled, if not eradicated.
The BVD Platform was launched in September 2023 to help towards this goal. It is a Government research council (BBSRC) funded project that brings together researchers, farmers, vets and Government-led BVD control programmes from all four nations in the UK. The aim is to collectively develop a BVD simulation model, similar to the one used to reduce infection levels in Ireland over the past decade, that creates a step-change in disease control.
However, the model also has to be relevant, practical and have the capacity to address the needs of each individual country, because each nation is at a different stage in its control ‘journey’. For example, Scotland started its programme in 2010 and has reduced exposure in Scottish breeding herds from 40% to 9%. England is about to step up its efforts through Defra’s Animal Health & Welfare Pathway.
To support all efforts at every stage, we are adopting a collaborative approach – bringing together researchers, farmers, vets and programme bodies from the four nations. We aim to collectively develop a disease model that is relevant, practical and has the capacity to support the diverse BVD control aims and needs of each nation.
This will be done by identifying solutions to the key questions and challenges relevant to each national control programmes, and highlighting areas of synergy and risk from the previously unexplored interactions between the devolved programmes.
