Cattle that have not been tested for Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) will be prohibited from moving to slaughterhouses from next month, DEARA confirmed.
From 1 September, DEARA will take enforcement measures with fines of up to £5,000 against untested cattle moved in breach of the BVD Eradication Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 (the BVD Order).
It is an offence to move an untested animal or to have possession of an untested animal that has been moved in contravention of the Order. This applies to market operators and slaughterhouses as well as farmers.
An untested animal may only move under licence issued by the Department for disposal as an animal by-product.
Minister Edwin Poots said: “Herdkeepers are required to sample calves for BVD within 20 days of birth and send the sample to an approved laboratory within the following seven days. The presence of untested cattle of unknown BVD status poses a risk of disease spread both within herds and to other herds.”
DAERA has issued letters to all farmers with untested animals to explain the policy change and highlight the animals in their herd which need testing.
Farmers can check the BVD status of their cattle using Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) online or through the Animal Health and Welfare Northern Ireland’s (AHWNI’s) BVD database.
LSL News.