Updated BVD Restrictions for Northern Ireland Farms: What Farmers Need to Understand

Northern Ireland farmers face new and updated movement restrictions related to Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD), impacting both herds experiencing outbreaks and individual breeding females. These changes, implemented by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and Animal Health and Welfare Northern Ireland (AHWNI), aim to accelerate the eradication of this highly contagious disease that negatively affects cattle productivity and welfare.

Understanding the New Restrictions

Effective February 1, 2026, immediate restrictions are placed on any herd with a positive (BVDP) or inconclusive (BVDI) BVD test result, as well as any associated herds. These restrictions prohibit all movements of cattle in or out of the affected premises.

Further changes, beginning March 1, 2026, introduce individual restrictions for breeding females (over 12 months traditional) in herds with confirmed BVD positive animals. These restrictions will be lifted 21 days after the last BVD positive animal has been removed from the herd – either through culling or a subsequent negative test result.

Lifting Herd-Level Restrictions

According to AHWNI, herd-level restrictions will be lifted when the following two conditions are met:

• For herds with BVD positive (BVDP) animals, 21 days must have passed since the removal of the last BVDP animal (through culling or re-testing with a negative result).
• For herds with BVD inconclusive (BVDIs), the inconclusive animal must be culled or re-tested with a negative result.

all animals in the herd and associated herds, excluding untested animals under 31 days old, must have a negative BVD status.

Lifting Individual Female Restrictions

Individual restrictions on breeding females will remain in place until one of the following occurs:

• Assessment of the female’s stage of pregnancy allows for derestriction after calving.
• Antibody testing is conducted by a veterinarian, and satisfactory results are submitted to AHWNI, leading to a recommendation for derestriction.

Preventing Future BVD Breakdowns

AHWNI emphasizes that new BVD outbreaks are often linked to the introduction of new stock. They recommend responsible sourcing of calves, robust biosecurity measures, appropriate vaccine use, and strict visitor hygiene protocols to minimize the risk of introducing the virus. Thorough cleaning and disinfection of pens, equipment, and areas used by BVD-positive calves are also crucial to prevent virus spread within and off the farm.

BVD: A Notifiable Disease

BVD is a notifiable disease in Northern Ireland. Farmers are legally required to immediately inform DAERA if they suspect or detect BVD. Private Veterinary Practitioners (PVPs) are also expected to notify DAERA when examining suspect animals. Diagnostic samples will be automatically reported to DAERA by the laboratory.

As of December 2025, the rolling herd-level incidence of BVD in Northern Ireland was 2.49%, representing a 74% decrease since the program’s inception. Animal incidence was 0.23%.