Farmers are being asked to help co-design a new computer simulation model that could inform the eradication of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) in Northern Ireland.

The model, which is being developed jointly by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and University of Nottingham, is aiming to include "farmers’ decision-making and preferences as a separate component in modelling national cattle disease control".

Input is being collected through an online questionnaire which offers participating cattle keepers a range of scenarios, and asks what they would do next.

Their answers will then be linked to models of pathogen spread to predict how quickly the disease might decline - or increase - based on different control circumstances.

Dr. Sam Strain, chief executive of Animal Health and Welfare NI, said the infection model has the "potential to be very helpful in informing the future development of the NI BVD eradication programme".

“While the programme has been incredibly successful in reducing the incidence of BVD across the province by more than two-thirds, more remains to be done if eradication is to be achieved,” he said.

Dr. Strain said one of the unique benefits of this new simulation model is gathering farmer perspectives on BVD control, and using this information to assess different future strategies for BVD control and ultimately, its eradication.

“Given the wide range of BVD programmes across the UK and Ireland - each at a different stage and following a different strategy - farmer input is needed from each region to help develop the model such that it will inform each regional programme," he continued.

“I therefore want to strongly encourage NI farmers to participate in this survey.”

The questionnaire along with more details on the project and wider changes to BVD control programmes can be accessed on the BVD Platform website.