Our commitment to a healthy herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle
While the quality of our cattle has always been paramount in our thoughts, about ten years ago we became increasingly conscious of the health risks we needed to safeguard against to ensure healthy bulls. We were aware that some herds were having serious problems with BVD (Bovine Viral Diarrhoea) and Johne’s disease so we decided that the safest option was to run Varis Aberdeen Angus as a closed herd with only the occasional bull joining the herd after being blood tested to ensure he carried no disease. The consequences of BVD can be horrendous, with impaired cattle fertility, calf loss and even sudden calf death at around 18 months old if they have Mucosal Disease.
Our strategy has been successful – undoubtedly helped by the fact that none of our neighbours had cattle close enough to cause a problem. Nevertheless, we blood-tested all animals sold for breeding to protect all our customers. We also annually vaccinate every breeding female to ensure the herd is protected from outside contamination.
Last year we joined the Orkney Hi-Health Scheme, initially testing for BVD. We tested again this year, and with two clear tests for BVD we are confirmed as being BVD-free. For more information on the Orkney Hi-Health Scheme, see their website here.
We also tested for Johne’s Disease this year. This is a whole cattle herd testing, with every animal over two years old being tested, and again we are pleased to confirm that all animals tested negative.
Combining high quality with high health status must surely be the way ahead for every herd in the country. We make every effort to ensure that our customers can have the greatest confidence in buying from the Varis Aberdeen Angus herd.