Farm Animal Welfare

Cattle BVD PI Identification Welfare

Identifying and removing BVD persistently infected cattle is the cornerstone of eradication programmes that protect herd welfare.

Key Facts

Persistently infected cattle are created when cows are infected in early pregnancy
PI cattle are immunotolerant and shed virus continuously throughout their lives
Tissue tag ear testing identifies PI status at birth enabling early removal
PI calves frequently have poor health and welfare outcomes themselves
Removing PIs protects herd welfare by eliminating the main source of infection

Welfare Considerations

BVD persistently infected cattle are both sources of infection and welfare concerns themselves - PI calves frequently suffer from immune compromise and secondary infections. Identifying and humanely removing PI cattle protects both the individual animals from poor welfare and the herd from BVD transmission. Tissue tag testing at birth is a practical, low-cost welfare and biosecurity tool.

What You Can Do

Support BVD eradication through PI testing at birth
Advocate for mandatory PI testing in national eradication programmes
Learn about BVD PI welfare implications to support programme advocacy