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BVD categories

Each holding and animal tested is assigned a BVD category according to the logic table below.
Individual BVD status of cattle
Category BVD status Movement restrictions Biosecurity recommendations
1 Negative None Beware Trojan cows!
Test calves born, conceived prior to arrival
2 Negative/Assumed Negative
3 Not negative
(known as risky)

Must not move to another herd or market

If from a non-Scottish holding it must be tested for BVD within 40 days*

Isolate from breeding stock and individually test
4 BVD positive Cannot move to another herd or market. Can only go directly to an abattoir, or under an APHA licence in special circumstances.

Isolate and retest

Move directly to slaughter
0 Untested None Individually test
*some Northern Irish and CHeCS cattle may be exempt due to previous testing
Herd BVD status
Category BVD status Description Impact on animal movements to other herds or a livestock market
0 Non-breeding Keeper is non-breeding (no calves registered in past 12 month) or has declared that the herd is non‑breeding None
1 Certified Negative The herd is CHeCS accredited as BVD Negative. Can move anywhere. Testing is optional.
2 Screened Negative The herd is Screened Negative, either by testing all calves, all animals or by check testing young stock. Can move anywhere. Testing is optional.
3 Not negative
    The herd has either:
  • Shown evidence of exposure to BVD
  • Allowed their status to expire
  • Has not completed testing
  • Been downgraded
Cattle that don't have an individual BVD Negative or Assumed Negative status must be tested prior to move.
4 Positive Herd includes one or more persistently infected (PI) animals. Cattle that don't have an individual BVD Negative or Assumed Negative status must be tested prior to move.
Trojan cow means a pregnant female with an individual BVD Negative status that is carrying a PI calf. This happens when an unprotected female is infected with BVD in the first 120 days of pregnancy. There is no way to test the unborn calf. The best advice is to individually test the calf for virus (antigen) as soon as possible after birth. Where a pregnant female might have been exposed to infection at the critical time, you should calve her in isolation and BVD test the calf as soon as possible.