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At present, national-level policies concerning the In spite of this evidence, BVD has been accorded different levels
eradication and control of bovine viral diarrhoea of importance by the animal health policies of different countries in
Europe, and as a result their strategies for its control and eradication
(BVD) differ widely across Europe. Some Scandinavian differ widely. It has been suggested that part of the problem is that
countries have enacted strong regulatory frameworks because BVD has no ‘known zoonotic implications’, there is less pres-
to eradicate the disease, whereas other countries have sure to control it (Gunn and others 2005). However, within the last
20 years, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden have made steady
few formal policies. To examine these differences, progress towards the complete eradication of the disease, and Austria
the attitudes of stakeholders and policy makers in 17 has introduced partially compulsory control strategies. These eradica-
European countries were investigated. A web-based tion programmes represented a radical departure from conventional
thinking (Moennig and others 2005b).
questionnaire was sent to policy makers, government Historically, the control of the disease has been based on either
and private sector veterinarians, and representatives test and slaughter policies or vaccination (Deregt 2005). Hence, for
of farmers’ organisations. In total, 131 individuals the first time, the control programmes in Scandinavia were ‘based on
the identification of herds with active BVDV infections, tracing and
responded to the questionnaire and their responses removal of persistently infected animals and movement restrictions, as
were analysed by applying a method used in well as other zoosanitary measures’ (Moennig and others 2005a). In this
sociolinguistics: frame analysis. The results showed way, testing and culling was introduced and vaccination was banned
(Bitsch and Rønshalt 1995, Lindberg and Alenius 1999). According
that the different attitudes of countries that applied to Lindberg (2002), in Sweden, this approach had decreased the preva-
compulsory or voluntary frameworks were associated lence of BVD from over 50 per cent in 1993 to less than 3 per cent in
with different views about the attribution or blame 2002. Nevertheless, the majority of countries in Europe use voluntary
regulation and rely on controlling the disease by vaccination (Mars and
for BVD and the roles ascribed to farmers and other van Maanen 2005, Moennig and others 2005a, Lindberg and others
stakeholders in its eradication and control. 2006a).
The question of who should pay for the control and eradication of the
disease is equally contentious. Countries such as Sweden have moved
BOVINE viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is widespread in Europe, causing away from schemes paid for by farmers towards subsidised national eradi-
at best minor disease, and at worst major economic losses to the cattle cation programmes (Hult and Lindberg 2005), but in most countries the
industry (Bitsch and others 2000, Mars and van Maanen 2005, Moennig costs are borne by farmers (Mars and van Maanen 2005).
and others 2005b). Its prevalence within and between countries varies It is clear that these wide variations in priorities and programmes
widely, but according to Houe (1999) ‘losses at the population level for the control or eradication of BVD will be accompanied by equally
have been estimated in the range of US$ 10 ± 40 million per million wide variations in the perceptions and attitudes of stakeholders, but
calvings’, and at the farm level, Gunn and others (2004) estimated little attention has been paid to them (Lindberg and others 2006a). As
annual losses among UK beef farmers at £37 per animal. These figures Hult and Lindberg (2005) observed, ‘The ability of a scheme to reach
indicate that the annual losses due to BVD are significant and likely to full coverage will be dependent on the backup from authorities and the
be a major inhibitor to the profitability of livestock farming. farmers’ own organisations (voluntary versus compulsory, subsidies, etc),
the ability to spread understanding of what will be gained by the scheme,
the farmers’ knowledge about the disease…’
The authors therefore suggest that key factors in the success of any
programme include the willingness and ability of stakeholders to coop-
Veterinary Record (2009) 164, 163-167 erate, and it is clear that fostering the cooperation and willingness of
C. Heffernan, DVM, PhD, MRCVS, G. J. Gunn, BVMS, MRCVS, stakeholders will depend on a better understanding of their attitudes
F. Misturelli, MA, PhD, SAC Epidemiology Research Unit, towards the disease (Lindberg and others 2006a).
L. Nielsen, MA, PhD, Research and Development Division, This paper examines the differences in the attitudes of stakeholders
J. Yu, MSc, King’s Buildings, West Mains Road, towards the control and eradication of BVD in 17 European coun-
University of Reading, Livestock Edinburgh EH9 3JG
Development Group, School of
tries. Its aim is to determine whether these differences contribute to
Agriculture, Policy and Development, E-mail for correspondence: the decision to apply compulsory or voluntary control strategies. To
Earley Gate, PO Box 237, Reading c.l.heffernan@reading.ac.uk reveal the stakeholders’ explicit and implicit attitudes, a method used
RG6 6AT in sociolinguistics/discourse analysis was applied: frame analysis. Frame
TABLE 4: Opinions expressed by the respondents about the principal general and epidemiological constraints preventing the
eradication of bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD)
Epidemiological constraints
Lack of epidemiological Uncontrolled animal Presence of wildlife
knowledge movements High density of herds Large herds vectors
35 Compulsory 70 Compulsory
Voluntary Voluntary
30 60
25 50
Percentage
Percentage
20 40
15 30
10 20
5 10
0 0
es r
at n
tra cle
ns too
ro es
en
en e
in po
le d
ur ory
rti tic
ur eld
ar arm
po ri
ob ve
to sta
s
us
de
em
o da
cc y u
pe ol
pe os
io
iv
se
s
so t fi
so at
pr ei
ex ntr
ce
ce
aw of f
to un
ex gn
ag
r e bor
va nc
a erc
re ien
lo
bo
a
an
de
C
tro
ck
la
di
c
as t p
ffi
m
en
rm
La
on
nt
of
no
su
or
e
ep
Fa
C
ck
In
ci
D
Po
D
ffi
La
BV
su
In
FIG 2: Percentages of 23 respondents from countries with
compulsory schemes and 43 respondents from countries with FIG 3: Percentages of 17 respondents from countries with
voluntary schemes expressing opinions about the principal compulsory schemes and 23 respondents from countries with
constraints related to farmers preventing the eradication of bovine voluntary schemes expressing opinions about the principal
viral diarrhoea constraints related to veterinarians preventing the eradication of
bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD)
Compulsory
schemes, the above ranking of uncontrolled animal movement appears 35 Voluntary
consistent with overall views.
Again, there were large variations when the constraints at the farmer
30
level were analysed (Fig 2). The respondents from countries with vol-
untary schemes considered that the lack of awareness by farmers was
25
a major problem, in addition to the costs of control, and there was a
general perception that farmers are both unwilling and unable to pay for
Percentage
al n
st e
ill
ob ve
he t i
du ttl
was much greater agreement between the two groups of countries. There
w
m
th
ry
al res
in ca
pr ei
al
a erc
ci
d
was general agreement that the industry had little motivation to change
im te
an
te
an w in
as t p
en
fin
m
Lo
of
ag
D
Fr
c
La
effective joint decisions, was considered a greater problem than in coun- FIG 4: Percentages of 26 respondents from countries with
tries with compulsory schemes, although even in these it was considered compulsory schemes and 41 respondents from countries with
that the industry could do better. voluntary schemes expressing opinions about the principal
constraints related to the cattle industry preventing the eradication
Discussion of bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD)
The analysis revealed the wide divergence of attitudes towards BVD
control at the national, regional and local level in the 17 countries. At
the national level, the analysis showed that the attribution of blame factors. Many of the lessons learned from the Scandinavian experi-
for endemic BVD infections in countries with voluntary schemes lay ence are likely to be useful on many levels (Brownlie 2005), but the
largely with the farmers, whereas in countries with compulsory control ‘frame’ for sharing them must be altered significantly to provide better
schemes, respondents tended to consider that epidemiological rather support for their acceptance by both northern and southern European
than social factors were of greater importance; however, they tended to countries. Respondents from non-Scandinavian countries among the
be the most suspicious of the commitment of the veterinary community northern European countries often argued that the Scandinavian
to the control of BVD. In both groups of countries, the cattle industry experience would not, or could not, be replicated, although it is clear
was often viewed with suspicion. that on strictly scientific grounds this is not the case. Much of this
With respect to EC-wide strategies, political and administrative issues doubt appears to stem from a belief that farmers cannot, or will not,
were of most concern for the respondents who, while ostensibly offer- comply with new regulations. Despite this, few of the respondents
ing a positive view, were often very negative about the ability of many from countries with voluntary schemes suggested training farmers to
countries to comply with any forthcoming legislation successfully. improve the control of the disease, calling into question the under-
The analysis therefore shows that any attempts at an EU-wide strat- lying attitudes and commitment of many of them towards its sustain-
egy for the control of BVD must take into account social and political able control.
The results suggest that an EU-wide strategy for the eradication Management and Control. Eds J. Ridpath, S. M. Goyal. Blackwell Publishing. pp 3-34
of BVD must take into account all the factors affecting disease con- GUNN, G. J., SAATKAMP, H. W., HUMPHRY, R. W. & STOTT, A. W. (2005) Assessing
economic and social pressure for the control of bovine viral diarrhoea virus. Preventive
trol, including the political and social views of stakeholders. It may be Veterinary Medicine 72, 149-162
concluded that the ‘frame’ for understanding and sharing knowledge GUNN, G. J., STOTT, A. W. & HUMPHRY, R. W. (2004) Modelling and costing BVD
between northern and southern European countries is a primary inhibi- outbreaks in beef herds. Veterinary Journal 167, 143-149
tor of the means of eradication and must be modified before progress can HOUE, H. (1999) Epidemiological features and economical importance of bovine virus diar-
be made. Thus, frame analysis helped to analyse the underlying attitudes rhoea virus (BVDV) infections. Veterinary Microbiology 64, 89-107
supporting and inhibiting the cooperation of stakeholders. It is clear HULT, L. & LINDBERG, A. (2005) Experiences from BVDV control in Sweden. Preventive
Veterinary Medicine 72, 143-148
that the findings are likely to have implications for the control of other LINDBERG, A. (2002) Epidemiology and eradication of bovine viral diarrhoea virus infec-
endemic diseases at the Pan-European level. tions: studies on transmission and prenatal diagnosis of persistent infection. PhD thesis.
BVD is a relatively straightforward viral disease caused by a single Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
infectious agent that does not survive well outside its host. The disease LINDBERG, A. L. & ALENIUS, S. (1999) Principles for eradication of bovine viral diar-
has a complicated pathogenesis but the technology to eradicate the virus rhoea virus (BVDV) infections in cattle populations. Veterinary Microbiology 64, 197-222
at farm, regional and national levels has been widely demonstrated to LINDBERG, A., BERRIATUA, E., FOURICHON, C., MINTIENS, K. & HOUE, H.
(2006a) Epidemiology and risks. In BVD Control. Position paper. Ed BVD Thematic
be both effective and cost effective. However, despite strong scientific Network on the control of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus. pp 32-72. www.bvdv-control.
arguments in favour of eradicating the disease, the socioeconomic argu- org/bilder/Position%20paper%20BVDV%20Control%20EU%20TN.pdf
ments are not so well developed. The socioeconomic arguments will LINDBERG, A., BROWNLIE, J., GUNN, G. J., HOUE, H., MOENNIG, V., SAATKAMP,
be even more complicated for other endemic diseases whose agents are H. W., SANDVIK, T. & VALLE, P. S. (2006b) The control of bovine viral diarrhoea virus
either more ubiquitous in the environment, such as paratuberculosis, in Europe: today and in the future. Revue Scientifique et Technique 25, 961-979
or have a multifactorial aetiology, such as pneumonia or enteritis. It is MARS, M. H. & VAN MAANEN, C. (2005) Diagnostic assays applied in BVDV control
in the Netherlands. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 72, 43-48
likely that international agreements will be required for a wide range of MOENNIG, V., EICKEN, K., FLEBBE, U., FREY, H. R., GUMMER, B., HAAS, L.,
livestock diseases, and it is hoped that this study has identified some of GREISER-WILKE, I. & LIESS, B. (2005a) Implementation of two-step vaccination in
the subjects for further research that might help to control and eradicate the control of bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD). Preventive Veterinary Medicine 72, 109-114
them. MOENNIG, V., HOUE, H. & LINDBERG, A. (2005b) BVD control in Europe: current
status and perspectives. Animal Health Research Reviews 6, 63-74
Acknowledgement OLIVER, P. & JOHNSTON, H. (2000) What a good idea! Frames and ideologies in social
movement research. Mobilization 5, 37-54
The authors thank the EU Thematic Network on BVD Control for
POTTER, J. & WETHERELL, M. (1987) Discourse and Social Psychology: Beyond Attitudes
commissioning this work. and Behaviour. Sage Publications. p 161
STRAUSS, A. & CORBIN, J. (1997) Grounded Theory in Practice. Sage Publications.
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