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A group of young brown and white cows

Be BVD confident when buying and selling cattle

9th Nov 2022

As a buyer, you’ll want to know you have all the information to make an informed decision to buy the best cattle possible. As a seller, you’ll want to increase and demonstrate your high herd health and productivity.

By understanding and sharing up-to-date BVD status, sellers can demonstrate they test for BVD and that their herd is negative. Buyers can rest assured that they are purchasing BVD-free animals, meaning all round better herd health.

 

When buying cattle, what should you look out for?

 

  • Does the seller know their BVD status?

A Gwaredu BVD certificate is issued and posted once a herd has screened negative for BVD.

Sellers are encouraged to display their certificate or make their status known in catalogues. If the BVD status isn’t available for you to see, ask the seller for their status and latest BVD certificate.

 

  • Is their BVD status out of date?

A Gwaredu BVD certificate runs out after a year. If the seller is showing a certificate older than this, the BVD status of the herd is out of date and therefore there could be BVD present on the farm.

Check the date on the certificate they share.

 

  • Gold, Silver or Bronze?

Farmers should test for BVD annually. Gwaredu BVD’s Bronze, Silver and Gold certificates help demonstrate how long herds have screened negative.

 

For example:

 

Bronze Certificates

A bronze certificate can be obtained after one clear screen.Certificates will only be awarded within 12 months of actual test.

Silver Certificate

Silver certificates can be awarded to farms that have screened clear for two consecutive years.

Gold Certificate

Gold certificates are awarded to farms that have screened clear on three consecutive years’ testing.

 

If you require another copy of your Gwaredu BVD certificate, please contact the Gwaredu BVD team here.

If you haven’t yet screened for BVD this year- make sure to take advantage of the financial support available for screening and PI hunting until 31 December 2022. Speak to your vet today or contact the Gwaredu BVD team for more information.

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