The database provides recognition at a national level for all individual animals and herds testing negative for BVD, which can prove attractive for onward sales.
Bovine Viral Diarrhoea is one of the biggest disease issues facing the UK cattle industry. BVD has been estimated to cost between £13 and £31 per cow, equating to around £39.1m across England.
Herds joining BVDFree England which are BVD-accredited to Cattle Health Certification Standards (CHeCS) also get recognition through the national BVDFree database.
Individual animal and herd status is searchable on bvdfree.org.uk.
BVDFree board chairman, and NFU North West Livestock Board chairman, Bill Mellor, said “I and many others have seen both the damage BVD can do in a herd and the improvements, in terms of both calf health and fertility, you get when you eliminate the BVD virus. There are real economic benefits, in all systems when there are no cattle persistently infected with BVD. Joining BVDFree shows you want to be part of the drive for national elimination and are playing your part to deliver the next generation of cattle, free from the millstone of BVD.
“I passionately believe all involved in the cattle industry need to work together to eradicate BVD and as a consequence improve the health and welfare of the national herd.”
More than 100 organisations have now signed the statement of intent, backing the eradication of BVD from the national herd. For more information or to sign up, visit bvdfree.org.uk.