Funding secured to vaccinate New Forest cattle

The New Forest CDA has secured funding to allow commoners to start vaccinating cattle against BVD (Bovine Viral Diarrhoea).

The programme is being funded by the New Forest Trust (NFT), the conservation charity which supports various projects to help preserve, sustain and enhance the Forest for future generations.

Commoners will be able to volunteer to have their Forest-run cows and replacement heifers vaccinated against BVD. This will be done on a first come, first served basis and administered when cattle are marked up for the Forest or commons.

New Forest CDA Chair Andrew Parry-Norton said: “This is an initiative we have been working on for some time so I am very pleased the funding has now been approved for it.

“Vaccinating cattle clearly has a number of benefits, with one of the most significant being that it would stop abortion and the more cattle that are vaccinated, the greater chance we have of reducing the transmission of the disease.

“Being able to offer the vaccination is also a way of helping commoners out from a financial perspective which we know is extremely important right now.

“We cannot offer this initiative to commoners without the backing of the NFT, so we are very thankful and appreciative of their support throughout the process, and look forward to continuing our partnership with them on future projects.”

William Ziegler, Chair of the NFT, added: “We are passionate about helping ensure the future of commoning so are only too pleased to support this important initiative.

“We hope the vaccination programme has its desired effect and can strengthen the health and wellbeing of livestock and the New Forest’s flora and fauna.”

Any New Forest commoners interested in having their cattle vaccinated should email Andrew Parry-Norton on parrynortonfarm@gmail.com.