The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, has confirmed that supports under the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) Eradication Programme will continue next year.
The minister said excellent progress has been made over the years; the incidence rate of BVD positive animals has fallen from 0.66% in 2013 to 0.03% this year.
“The programme is at a crucial point and we are close to eradicating BVD from the herd. The opportunity to achieve BVD freedom is in sight. It is key that everyone plays their role to see this through,” McConalogue said.
In order to achieve BVD free status from the EU, Ireland must record an 18-month period without the disclosure of a confirmed persistently infected animal, with 99.8% of cattle establishments BVD free, accounting for 99.9% of the bovine population.
“My department is providing a comprehensive package of supports to all affected farms to lower the future disease risk within those farms and to reduce the risk to other herds.
“This is an opportunity for Ireland’s cattle farmers to further demonstrate their commitment, and to intensify efforts to achieve BVD free status,” the minister said.
BVD protocol
The requirements under the programme for automatic herd restrictions and notifying neighbouring holdings will continue in 2022.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) said that the 2022 package of supports includes the early removal of positive animals:
Dairy Herds
- €160 if female dairy and dairy cross animals are removed within 10 days of the first positive or inconclusive test result.
- €30 if female dairy and dairy cross animals are removed between day 11 and 21 of the first positive or inconclusive test result.
- €30 towards the disposal of dairy bull calves through the abattoir or knackery within 14 days of the first positive or inconclusive test result.
Beef Herds
- €220 if the animal is removed within 10 days of the first positive or inconclusive test result.
- €30 if the animal is removed between day 11 and 21 of the first positive or inconclusive test result.
Targeted Advisory Service on Animal Health (TASAH) investigations, where a fully-funded mandatory herd epidemiological investigation is carried out after disclosure of a positive test or inconclusive animal, will continue.
DAFM will also fund an entire herd test as part of these investigations, along with the vaccination of all eligible females in these herds in 2022 and 2023.
The department said confirmatory testing on ear notch positive animals will not be conducted under the 2022 programme.