Agriland reports that one fifth of farmers did not carry out vaccination after a calf on their holding tested positive for bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD). The outlet published the figure on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. The finding concerns herd owners who had a confirmed BVD-positive calf but chose not to vaccinate in response.
BVD is a viral disease affecting cattle, and a positive test in a calf is the kind of result that typically prompts a review of herd health measures, including vaccination. According to Agriland, a substantial minority of farmers did not take that step after such a result. The report does not set out why those farmers declined to vaccinate, and no further breakdown of the figure was provided in the material available.
The gap matters because a positive calf indicates the virus is present in the herd, and vaccination decisions following a positive result are central to how the disease is managed on affected farms. Agriland's headline figure puts the share of farmers who did not vaccinate at roughly 20%.
Watch for further Agriland coverage on BVD, including any detail on the reasons behind the vaccination gap and on the wider programme aimed at controlling the disease in cattle herds.
