Abstract
The European Union (EU) regulates the control of cattle diseases listed in categories A and B of the European Animal Health Law (AHL). However, no strict mandatory EU regulation exists for the control of other cattle diseases that are listed in categories C, D and E. Slovenia has five control programmes (CPs) for the latter cattle diseases: bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL), bluetongue and anthrax. Two (IBR and BVD) are voluntary and the others (EBL, anthrax and bluetongue) are compulsory. The three compulsory CPs are funded by the government. All the CPs are run by the government and laboratory tests are performed by the National Veterinary Institute. The rules for the CPs are laid down in Slovenian legislation. In addition, there is a national directive for the control of salmonellosis. Both BVD and IBR are endemic and have CPs based on increased biosecurity, testing and culling or vaccination, financed by the animal owners. Slovenia has been officially free of EBL since 2005 and carries out surveillance based on serological testing of a representative number of herds and inspection of carcasses at slaughter or necropsy. Vaccination is the main disease control measure for anthrax (sporadic) and bluetongue (currently perceived free—vaccination since 2017). Lack of motivation of farmers to participate in voluntary disease CPs and to implement and follow strict biosecurity measures are the most pressing issues in improving the health status of Slovenian cattle. An overview of the existing CPs and the circumstances leading to their implementation are presented.
Highlights
A list of 24 non-EU regulated diseases controlled in at least one member country has recently been compiled (2020) as part of the European Union (EU) COST action SOUND control (CA17110) [1]
Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) have been endemic for several decades [2, 3] and voluntary control programmes (CPs) based on testing and culling or vaccination have been in place since 2014 and are funded by the animal owners
Slovenia has been officially free of enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) since 2005
Summary
A list of 24 non-EU regulated diseases controlled in at least one member country has recently been compiled (2020) as part of the European Union (EU) COST action SOUND control (CA17110) [1]. The health status of imported calves is not checked for non-EU regulated diseases and quarantine is not carried out before they are introduced into the herds, as it is not mandatory This is one of the reasons why beef farmers are less inclined to the national eradication of IBR and BVD as it would lead to quarantine restrictions and laboratory testing of imported animals from non-free countries, resulting in additional costs. In order to maintain the national officially free status, Slovenia has an active surveillance programme that includes the serological testing of cattle older than 12 months.
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