A new Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) map shows the progress of the eradication programme made by the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to the end of 2022.
The map was produced by the Centre for Veterinary Epidemiology and Risk Analysis (CVERA), University College Dublin (UCD), displaying the distribution of herds with positive test results for BVD.
Animal Health and Welfare Northern Ireland (AHWNI), chief executive Dr. Sam Strain said the map shows “substantial advances” were made in tackling BVD.
He explained that the animal-level incidence of BVD within Northern Ireland has fallen by over 70% since the start of the compulsory programme to 0.264% in 2022, with these being found in 3.76% of herds.
He said there are still areas with high levels of infection, particularly along the Co. Armagh border with Co. Monaghan.
“AHWNI continues to engage with all farmers who are dealing with BVD breakdowns to encourage eradication of the virus at the farm level,” Dr. Strain said.
Animal Health Ireland (AHI) programme manager, Dr. Maria Guelbenzu explained that during 2022, only 0.031% of calves tested in the Republic of Ireland returned a positive result, with these being found in only 308 (0.45%) of all breeding herds.
2022 was the first year in which any county recorded no positive results, with this honour going to Carlow, according to Dr. Guelbenzu.
“This highlights the significant progress made since 2013, when 0.66% of calves from almost 9,000 herds tested positive,” Dr. Guelbenzu said.
“This progress is testament to the ongoing effort and commitment of participating farmers and wider stakeholders,” she said.
BVD progress
The map is based on anonymised data and fixed sized hexagonal units to show the number of herds with positive results for BVD.
Each hexagon represents 10km², with a radius of less than 2km. Work is ongoing to generate updated maps for the first six months of 2023.
The anonymised maps are an outcome of ongoing collaboration between AHI and AHWNI that coordinate the respective programmes.
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) also help with the programming.
The programmes being monitored are similar in design, based on mandatory testing of tissue samples collected and submitted by herd owners using tissue sample enabled national identity tags.
The programmes became compulsory in the republic in 2013 and in Northern Ireland in 2016, with both being overseen by stakeholder implementation groups.
AHI chief executive, Dr. David Graham said for further progress, “continued implementation” is needed.
He warned that farmers with herds near the border of Northern Ireland should be “especially careful” given their proximity to infected herds in the north.