This year, for the first time, ScotEID are at the Royal Highland Show, showcasing the latest research and development on the Cattle EID Pilot. The ScotEID Technical Team are demonstrating the new cattle UHF tags and readers and are on hand to answer your queries. Alongside are members from the ScotEID Information Centre to demonstrate aspects of ScotEID including sheep and pig moves, BVD and ScotMoves, and answer your questions.
Please come and visit us on 7th Avenue, next to the Sponsor Pavilion.
MAP

Scottish Government are continuing to make and publish videos to promote the BVD eradication scheme. The most recent videos explain why the check test is valuable and is worth doing correctly, and the importance of protecting pregnant cows and heifers against BVD.
BVD Videos

From the 3rd of April phase 4 of the BVD eradication scheme will be fully implemented. This will reward keepers who buy cattle responsibly, and will require anyone bringing in risky animals to test them for BVD or lose their BVD “negative” herd status.
The risky animals are:

• Calves born on Scottish non-breeding holdings that have not been individually tested for BVD
• Cattle moving off a Scottish “not negative” herd that do not have an individual negative status (either BVD test result or assumed negative from having a calf)
• Cattle without individual BVD test results coming from herds outside Scotland

More information can be found on the Scottish Government BVD "what's new" page

• In order to support the BVD eradication scheme several videos have been produced.
• Full implementation of Phase 4, message from the CVO Scotland
• Protect your BVD negative status
• The BVD eradication scheme: progress so far

To contact the Scottish Animal Movement Unit (SAMU) please phone Dumfries RPID (Rural Payments & Inspections Division) on 0300 244 5888 and ask for SAMU. The fax number is now 0300 244 8844. The email address remains samu@gov.scot.

Pig keepers are being reminded that it is illegal to feed kitchen scraps or catering waste to their pigs, as this may spread disease. Buying a recognised pig feed from your local agricultural merchant is the safest option. This issue is being highlighted following the spread of African Swine Fever in parts of Eastern and Central Europe this year.
For more information visit: www.gov.scot/africanswinefever

All sheep & goat keepers should have received an Inventory or Survey either by email or in the post, please complete, as soon as possible. The best way to do this is online. The link and password are in your email or printed on your form. If you are a sheep or goat keeper but haven’t received a form, please check your emails. Otherwise please contact the Scottish Government at 0300 244 9725 (ScotEID cannot issue the emails, forms or passwords).
More information is available at www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Agriculture-Fisheries/Publications...

Additional holdings and exemptions can now be renewed on your ScotMoves Home page. Login to ScotEID, select ‘ScotMoves’ and those additional holdings and exemptions that are due for renewal will be highlighted. You can click the ‘renew’ button online or contact ScotEID if you prefer. If you require to use ScotMoves for the first time this Winter please contact ScotEID to register for ScotMoves.

Due to increasing functionality, we are committed to regularly reviewing our Website Terms and Conditions and Data Protection Policy. Amongst other updates they now provide for the BSE Negligible Risk checker. The update also recognises the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that will apply in the UK from 25th May 2018 replacing the existing UK Data Protection Act 1998.

The Scottish Government, working with the BVD Advisory Group, are consulting on ‘phase 5’ of Scotland’s BVD eradication scheme. Since the introduction of Scotland's BVD eradication scheme the level of exposure has dropped significantly. The reduction is due to great efforts by cattle keepers and their vets to test cattle, identifying sources of BVD infection and removing them.

The BVD Advisory Group have agreed that there should be further restrictions on not negative herds to prevent disease spread. Particularly focusing on keepers that continue to retain PI animals or seem content not to investigate the cause of their not negative status.

Farmers’ views are essential to shaping this next phase 5. The consultation information is available at:
https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/animal-health-and-welfare/the-bovine-vir...

Or, telephone the ScotEID office on 01466 794323 for a printed copy of the consultation document.

The deadline for entering the calving data for calves born between 1st January to 1st June 2017 is approaching. The calving data includes entering; ease of calving, calf size, and calf vigour. Please ensure that your calving data is complete and you have entered reasons for your disposals by the 15th July 2017.