March 4, 2021 7:42 am
Animal Health Ireland (AHI) needs to better communicate the changes in the updated Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) protocols – and should revisit compensation levels, according to the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA).
Commenting ICSA Animal Health and Welfare Committee chair Hugh Farrell again called for “adequate compensation” for BVD calves from the suckler herd and urged AHI to write to all breeding herd owners to outline updated BVD protocols for 2021.
“AHI has moved ahead with removing confirmatory second tests when determining the presence of BVD,” Farrell said.
This means the term PI or persistently infected is now obsolete, and all animals with one inconclusive test are for removal.
Frustration at lack of clear BVD programme info
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IFA Animal Health Chairman Pat Farrell has strongly criticised the Department of Agriculture’s approach to the BVD programme.
He said the lack of clear and concise relevant information in the enhanced programme for 2021 to farmers who identify PIs has added unnecessary stress and frustration on these farms.
“Farms where PIs are identified are restricted, but allowed move animals under permit. These movements are allowed to non-breeding outlets and include sales for export and to calf rearing farms that are non-breeding. In addition, movements out for contract rearing are also permitted. Movements to slaughter are not affected by the restriction,” he said.
February 25, 2021 12:27 pm
Industry research in Northern Ireland has suggested the continued emergence of bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) in 2021 is evidence of the carryover of infection in herds from 2020.
In some cases, the carryover can be attributed to the retention of BVD Positive (BVDP) cattle and the probable infection of susceptible females during the first to fourth months of pregnancy.
During January 2021, there were 96 individual cases of BVD disclosed in 70 herds. Of these herds,
over three quarters (54 of the 70 herds) had the virus present during 2020.
A spokesman for Animal Health and Welfare NI (AHWNI) explained that while it is possible that there may have been other sources of infection affecting these premises, the picture presented suggests that there are a significant number of cases where the BVD virus continues to circulate on farms.
February 21, 2021 8:00 am
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is “failing to give clear information” to farmers who have persistently infected (PI) animals on their farm under the bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) Eradication Programme, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has claimed.
Commenting on the matter, IFA Animal Health Committee chairman Pat Farrell said the lack of clear and concise relevant information in the enhanced programme for 2021 to farmers who identify PIs has added unnecessary stress and frustration on these farms.
“Farms where PIs are identified are restricted – but allowed move animals under permit,” he noted.
These movements are allowed to non-breeding outlets and include sales for export and to calf rearing farms that are non-breeding. In addition, movements out for contract rearing are also permitted.