New ‘best practice’ protocols to tackle BVD and Johne’s Disease published

The pressure to tackle Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) across the UK and Ireland is currently very high. 

The recently published document examines the new way for dairy herds to indicate low risk for BVD to their buyers following the end of the BVDFree programme and updated risk categories for Johne’s Disease. 

Vet James Russell, who is a CHECS board member as well as a non-executive director of the Animal Health & Welfare Board for England, said that CHECS disease protocols are an industry “bedrock”, and the latest update is well-timed for a number of changes taking place in 2025. 

“CHECS has been accrediting and setting industry standards for infectious cattle disease control since 1999. 

“We’re in a unique situation globally, in that standards are developed through consensus by a volunteer group of veterinary and scientific specialists under the CHECS umbrella, then adopted as a single ‘best practice’ across the whole of the UK and Ireland,” he continued. 

New bluetongue controls announced

The news follows last week’s announcement by the Welsh Government, which states that from 1st July 2025 all BTV-3 susceptible animals (sheep, cattle, goats, deer and camelids) moving from the RZ (i.e., England) to Wales will need a negative pre-movement test and a specific licence. There will be an exemption in place for any animals moving direct to slaughter. 

The Welsh Government confirmed that a specific movement licence will be administered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). The pre-movement test must be arranged and paid for privately. 

At the end of May, DEFRA confirmed that from 1st July 2025 the restricted zone for bluetongue will be extended to cover all of England. 

Once DEFRA moves England to become a whole country RZ, the free testing that is currently available will end. 

READ MORE: Wales: Concerns raised as new bluetongue controls have been announced

Protocols to provide consistency across UK and Ireland

While speaking about the CHECS protocols, Mr Russell added that even if farmers are not part of a CHECS-accredited cattle health scheme, the chances are the labs they send samples to are licensed with CHECS, and the vets they work with should be observing CHECS protocols. 

“All this means consistency across the UK and Ireland about how insidious diseases such as BVD, Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis and Johne’s Disease should be tackled and how the risk of herds having those diseases is communicated,” the expert said. 

The updated protocols include the new Dairy BVD Negative programme based on quarterly bulk milk testing and youngstock screening. Although it is primarily aimed at farmers who were involved in the now-defunct BVDFree England, it lands at a time when BVD is a particularly hot topic with devolved and Irish control programmes ramping up action on the disease. 

Mr Russell explained that the reason why BVD is being targeted by governments is because it is extremely “eradicable” and there are very high returns for farmers in doing so. 

“The suppressed immunity BVD causes has been calculated to cost UK farmers up to £61 million per year; that’s £6.50 for every single bovine. In Ireland the cost estimate is even higher at over €13/£11 per animal. 

“Yet the biggest risk with BVD remains not looking for it because it hides in plain sight, amplifying cases of pneumonia or scours, and preventing animals from recovering despite treatment. Hence, identifying whether BVD is the cause of other health issues in your herd is one of the most cost-beneficial steps a cattle farmer can take,” he concluded. 

‘Important and costly disease’

While BVD is dominating the headlines at the moment, other diseases continue to cause not just economic but emotional loss. One of the most challenging remains Johne’s Disease – and a second major change in the new protocols is the introduction of an additional level of Johne’s Disease Risk-Level Certification, Risk Level 1, the body that supports cattle farmers explained. 

This development follows several years of divergence among industry experts about how risk from Johne’s Disease – which is extremely complex and difficult to control – can be accurately and consistently communicated. 

As before, Risk Level 1 (R1) for Johne’s Disease is awarded to low-risk herds passing three consecutive annual herd tests, whether on faecal matter or blood. However, R1 herds that also have no positive blood tests for more than 12 months will become Risk Level 1* (R1*), the lowest level of risk. 

CHECS veterinary director Keith Cutler said that the changes to CHECS’s Johne’s Disease risk levels are robust but very fair. He added: “Most importantly, they will help vets and farmers more accurately gauge risk. 

“Agreeing this change was a tough and lengthy process, but Johne’s Disease is such an important and costly disease to both dairy and beef sectors, it was worth persevering. 

“If anything, the process has shown the resilience of the CHECS technical group in that its members will stand up for what they believe in, but do so for the good of those who keep cattle. 
“That’s why, as a practising vet, I would urge farmers to use CHECS protocols where they can. Even if you don’t want to go to the lengths of joining a CHECS-accredited cattle health scheme, make sure your vet is incorporating CHECS protocols into your herd health plan. It’s best practice for free.” 

Read the new CHECS technical document here. 

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