Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) - infectious pustular vulvovaginitis (IPV) is an infection with bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV1 ). Main organs in which the serologically and immunologically identical but biologically different virus strains become manifest are the respiratory tract (IBR) and the genital tract (IPV) (in bulls infectious balanoposthitis - IBP). One particular feature of this infectious disease is that infected animals, as a rule, carry the virus for the rest of their life. As a venereal disease transmitted by mating IPV/IBP is subject to government control measures if breeding results are affected in a negative way or if there is concern about the disease having spread; IBR is not covered by any government control system as the criteria for general government control do not apply to this virus disease. It is possible for producers to protect themselves from economic losses through vaccination; this is also true of long-distance transport of cattle from stocks which are under suspicion. Studies available hitherto from the Federal Republic of Germany have shown that - with regional variations - there is a high percentage of herds that are serologically free from BHV1 antibodies. Under these conditions it seemed helpful to issue guidelines for the protection of free cattle breeding herds as well as for the sanitation of infected ones on a voluntary basis (for example certain herds, regions or breeding associations). These recommendations lay down the conditions under which- a cattle herd is to be considered as unsuspected of BHV1- this status can be maintained and- a herd can be freed from the disease by means of reactor removal or vaccination.For certification of unsuspected herds the guidelines recommend blood or milk testing. Full article in German, English and French abstracts on PDF.