Confederation wants to eradicate BVD cattle disease in Switzerland
Published: Thursday, Feb 15th 2024, 16:20
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The federal government wants to eradicate the animal disease BVD (bovine viral diarrhea) in Switzerland. The Department of Home Affairs wants to amend the Ordinance on Epizootic Diseases with this aim in mind. The disease mainly affects cattle.
The amendments are subject to consultation until May 24, 2024. They are aimed at better protecting BVD-free livestock farms from the virus and finally eradicating the animal disease in Switzerland, the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) wrote on Thursday.
BVD mainly affects cattle. In pregnant animals, the disease can lead to miscarriages or the birth of calves with reduced growth.
A second disease, border disease in cattle, will now be designated by the federal government as an animal disease to be combated. This means that cases of the disease will have to be reported. Border disease is an infectious disease. It can cause the same symptoms as BVD and interfere with its monitoring.
Border disease occurs mainly in sheep and goats. However, animals of the cattle species are also increasingly contracting the disease. The categorization is intended to keep the disease under control and prevent potential health and economic damage.
However, cryptosporidiosis, an intestinal disease in various animal species, has been removed from the catalog of diseases to be monitored. The deletion has no impact on the treatment of diseased animals, wrote the FSVO.
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