Tighter movement restrictions under the Northern Ireland Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) Eradication Programme are being introduced on 1 February 2026 in a bid to further drive progress in eradicating BVD.

From that date, herds with a positive or inconclusive test result will have immediate movement restrictions put in place.

This compares to the current position of a seven-day ‘grace period’.

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There are also new restrictions coming in to play on 1 February 2026 to prevent the risk of so-called Trojan BVD-positive animals entering a herd via pregnant females.

Females aged over 12 months of age in a herd with a positive test result will not be allowed to move off the farm (except to slaughter) for 41 weeks from when the last BVD positive calf is removed.

The restriction can be lifted in certain circumstances – for example, when an animal has a calf which has a negative test for BVD.

The new movement restrictions is part of legislation which came in to force on 1 February 2025 giving the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) greater powers to apply herd restrictions to herds with BVD positive or inconclusive animals, and to herds with animals of unknown BVD status.

This legislation also included new herd restriction rules introduced on 1 December 2025 citing that herd restrictions will apply if there are 10 or more untested cattle in a herd which are greater than 30 days old.

This will reduce to herd restrictions being introduced where there are five or more animals untested in a herd which are greater than 30 days old from 1 June 2026.