The outcomes of a voluntary bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) control programme that has been in place in the Netherlands since 1997 were analysed. This ‘BVDV-free’ programme was studied in dairy herds in the period 1 August 2007 to 1 August 2013. The programme was based on a test and cull approach at the herd level, after which the BVDV status was monitored by testing young stock for antibodies against BVDV or by antigen testing of newborn calves. One of the challenges of the programme was that, without any legislation or subsidies, farmers had to be motivated to pay all costs involved, with eradication of BVDV from their farm as the only incentive. During the study period, the percentage of dairy farms with a ‘BVDV-free’ status in the Netherlands increased from 13% to 24%, while the prevalence of active BVDV infections in Dutch dairy herds decreased. This may be related to the increasing number of participants in the ‘BVDV-free’ programme.