Following recent confirmed cases of Bluetongue virus (BTV-3) in Scotland, livestock keepers are strongly advised to consult their vet regarding an appropriate vaccination strategy to safeguard their herds and flocks.

For the latest official outbreak updates, movement restrictions, and Scottish disease control guidance, please visit the Scottish Government’s Bluetongue Guidance.

Remember, it is a legal requirement to log all administered BTV-3 vaccinations within 48 hours of treatment. You can quickly register your vaccinated cattle, sheep, and goats by logging into your ScotEID account and using the Vaccination Recording tool. Full guidance on using the tool can be found here.

First Detection of ASF in Finland Highlights Border Risks

Following our previous updates, the APHA’s International Disease Monitoring Team has issued a new assessment (APHA Report #41) confirming that African Swine Fever (ASF) has been detected for the first time in Finland.

With ongoing detections in neighbouring countries and active threats at Great Britain's borders, keepers must remain highly vigilant.

Key Developments in Europe

• First Detection in Finland: ASF has been confirmed in a forested area in the south-east of Finland, less than 2 km from the Russian border.
• The Cases: Two wild boar piglet carcasses and a long bone from a wild boar tested positive in late July 2026.
• Regional Context: ASF detections have been occurring in recent years in neighbouring Russia, as well as the nearby Baltic States and Poland.
• Response: Enhanced surveillance is currently underway, and restrictions are in place within a designated infection zone established around the affected area.

What This Means for Scotland

The potential high risk for the introduction of the ASF virus through non-commercial imports of pork products from ASF-affected areas remains a major concern.

Recent inspections at GB ports suggest that vehicles are actively bringing pork meat in illegally from affected regions of the EU. Alarmingly, some of this meat appears to be home-slaughtered, arriving from undisclosed origins as non-commercial imports with poor biosecurity and food hygiene.

We have produced the following simplified guidance on complying with cattle identification and reporting requirements:

Read the full document: A Guide to cattle reporting requirements

📋 Official Rules and Standstill Guidance

For full legal requirements and standstill rules, visit:

• Traceability: Livestock identification and traceability: guidance 

• Movement Restrictions: Animal health: movement restrictions

📞 Registration and Record Support (ScotEID)

If you have concerns about late registrations or updating your herd records, contact ScotEID:

• Tel: 01466 794323

• Email: help@scoteid.com

🤝 Confidential Wellbeing Support (RSABI)

If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed by compliance issues, RSABI provides free, 24-hour support:

• Helpline: 0808 1234 555 (Free, 24/7)

• Email: helpline@rsabi.org.uk (to request a specialist callback)

🎥 Farm Advisory Service Videos

Cattle Identification and Tagging:

Cattle Movements:

To help Scottish farmers and crofters tackle the anxiety of admin backlogs, agricultural charity RSABI is trialing a new, confidential support service specifically for cattle registration worries.

Read the full article below👇

How to use it: Call RSABI’s free 24-hour helpline at 0808 1234 555 (it won't show up on your phone bill) or email helpline@rsabi.org.uk to request a specialist callback.

You can also contact ScotEID (01466 794323) or your local RPID office directly for early guidance.

New Service Offering Cattle Registration Guidance
Farmers or crofters who are anxious about their cattle registrations, for a variety of reasons, are being offered a new service organised by contacting agricultural charity, RSABI.

The service, which is being launched on a six-month trial basis from June, will see farmers and crofters being able to request confidential advice and guidance from an independent cattle registration specialist, simply by calling the charity’s 24 hour helpline – 0808 1234 555 – or emailing helpline@rsabi.org.uk.

The aim is to encourage farmers who may find themselves struggling with any aspect of cattle registrations to seek help and advice at as early a stage as possible, before things start to spiral into greater difficulties.

“It is estimated that around 25% of Scottish farmers are dyslexic and this is one of a number of reasons that people can struggle with keeping cattle registrations up to date,” said Carol McLaren, Chief Executive of RSABI.

Holding registers for cattle and sheep are available to download from the following links:

Cattle Holding Register

Sheep Holding Register

The team from Digital Dairy Chain and SRUC are hosting an event in Dumfries and Galloway showcasing their work in cow welfare.

Using technology and observations across farms in the region has helped them understand more about animal welfare in an automated way, allowing a better understanding of herd health and dynamics. Information on the behaviour and welfare of a farmer’s herd will help them to make better informed management decisions for their cows. Cows with improved welfare tend to have improved health, saving on costs associated with disease and injury, as well as supporting higher milk production, making a farm more financially resilient.

The event will be in a walk and talk format, and you will hear about:

• Cow welfare, Happy Cows, research
• Calf shed project and how improving the environment can improve calf health
• Cow preference for bedding types and its impact
• Heat stress research project and ways to improve shed ventilation and its importance

Lunch will be provided.

• Friday 15th May: 10.30am – 1.30pm – Inchparks, Stranraer, DG9 8QN

Sign up: Digital Dairy Chain Events or email info@digitaldairychain.co.uk

European Re-emergence Highlights High Risk for Scottish Pig Sector

A new assessment (APHA Report #40) has confirmed that African Swine Fever (ASF) remains an evolving threat to the Scottish pig industry. With the virus re-emerging in previously "clean" areas of Germany and ongoing outbreaks in Spain, Scottish keepers are urged to review their biosecurity and contingency plans immediately.

Key Developments in Europe

• Germany Re-emergence: Saxony, which was declared ASF-free in February 2026, lost its status on April 1 after a new case was detected in wild boar. Cases also continue in Western Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia).
• Spanish Outbreaks: Authorities in Catalonia are still managing multiple outbreaks in wild boar, implementing intensive population control and fencing to prevent spread into domestic herds.
• Transmission Insights: A recent study in Romania reveals that 60% of farm infections originate from other farms, while 27% come from wild boar. The study also proposed that around 40% of infections to wild boars originated on farms which underscores the importance of preventing contact between farms and between farms and wild boar (via people, vehicles, or equipment), with good biosecurity including fencing.

What This Means for Scotland

The Scottish Government updated its biosecurity guidance on March 27, 2026, emphasizing that "human-mediated" spread is the single biggest threat to our national herd.

Scottish Government have now closed the Sheep and Goat Annual Inventory for 2025; no further amendments or submissions are being accepted.

The inventory was open from 1 December 2025 until midnight on 30 January 2026.

From 1st February 2026 - Mandatory BVD testing for all calves born to dams that were moved onto the holding during pregnancy.

If an in-calf heifer or cow moves onto your holding, its calf must be BVD antigen/virus tested and the result uploaded before it is 40 days old, or before it is moved off the holding – whichever occurs first.  This requirement applies to calves born on or after 1st February 2026. These calves cannot leave the herd without an individual antigen/virus BVD negative status.

Failure to test these calves within the required timescale, will result in the holding status being downgraded to Not Negative (or Positive if a Persistently Infected animal is on the holding).

The most cost-effective way of BVD testing young calves is by tissue tagging.  

•    Order BVD management tags in advance
•    Send samples to the lab promptly
•    Max three tags advised per animal
  
Please note the above is in addition to your routine testing requirements. 

 
From 1st February 2026 - Further restrictions for breeding herds that have not completed the Compulsory BVD Investigation (CBI) within the required 13 months of entering:

•    Cattle movement/s onto the holding will be restricted
•    The CPH will be publicly listed on ScotEID

For the official guidance on the BVD eradication scheme - https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-bvd-eradication-scheme