A case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) has been confirmed on a farm in Aberdeenshire.

In line with the disease prevention response plan, precautionary movement restrictions have been put in place at the farm, while further investigations to identify the origin of the disease occur.This is standard procedure for a confirmed case of classical BSE, which does not represent a threat to human health.

• A statement by the Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing
• BSE Q&A

Subject to a Scottish Government consultation exercise, compulsory electronic identification (EID) of cattle is due to be phased-in for Scotland over the next few years. This is anticipated to improve the speed and accuracy of traceability, hopefully paving the way for removal of paper passports. The currently proposed dates for implementation are:

• From January 2020, all calves born on Scottish holdings will have to be EID-tagged.
• From June 2022, any other bovine moving off a Scottish holding will have to be EID-tagged.
• Farmers wishing to EID-tag their animals earlier than these dates will be able to do so, from June 2019.

This phased approach will give sufficient time for existing on-farm stocks of non-EID tags to be run down and for many existing cattle to pass through the supply-chain without being retagged. As yet, a date for EID-tagging the remaining cattle on the holding has not been issued (i.e. older cattle not moving off a holding).

Reflecting industry views from across the supply-chain, EID-tagging will entail the combined use of both Low Frequency (LF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) tags. LF is already in use for sheep EID (and some on-farm cattle management purposes) but has some constraints, whilst UHF offers some technical and cost advantages likely to make it increasingly attractive for livestock traceability (such that the International Standards Organisation is working on extending animal identification standards to UHF). The combination of LF and UHF can be achieved via a single, dual LF-UHF tag, a UHF flag backed by a LF button tag, or by separate LF and UHF tags (one in each ear).

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.