Vets welcome roll out of compulsory BVD testing in Northern Ireland
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the British Veterinary Association Northern Ireland Branch has welcomed the commencement of the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) eradication programme in Northern Ireland yesterday (1 March 2016).
Seamus O’Kane, President of BVA Northern Ireland Branch, said: “The introduction of compulsory BVD testing is a part of the joined-up DARD, profession and industry approach that is crucial for the delivery of a successful BVD eradication programme in Northern Ireland. We welcome the Minister O’Neill’s commitment to disease control and hope we will see similar successes as we did with our Officially Brucellosis Free declaration.”
Sean Wensley, President of BVA, said: “Vets and farmers have been well engaged with the process so far to control BVD and keen to see it progress; the announcement for a compulsory BVD testing scheme was made more than two years ago so we are very pleased to see the roll out now of the legislation.”