The control of bovine virus diarrhoea virus in Shetland

A scheme to control and eradicate bovine virus diarrhoea (BVD) was initiate d in 1994 in the Shetland Islands by local veterinary surgeons and funded b y the Shetland Islands Council and Shetland Enterprise Company. Over a 3-ye ar period every bovine animal on the islands was blood-sampled (heparinised ) and laboratory tested using MAb-based ELISAs for BVD virus antibody and a ntigen detection for evidence of disease. A number of BVD virus positive an imals (40) were found and culled. A total of 6150 animals were tested from 213 herds and 43% herds were found to be BVD naive. The remaining herds had experienced infection and contained many BVD antibody positive animals. So me repeat sampling of stock in infected herds determined further virus posi tive animals which were slaughtered and in 1997 the scheme ceased since it appeared that there were no persistent excretors present. The major risk to the Shetland Islands is from bought-in stock, especially animals which are imported in calf. It is vital that all bought-in animals are tested and pr oven to be free of BVD virus if these animals are in calf, the calves must be tested a birth to determine status. It is strongly advised that only bul ls and bulling heifers or cows are bought into Shetland in future, thus, pr otecting the present stock. Continued surveillance will be required to clai m eradication of BVD from Shetland. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All righ ts reserved.