Funding towards the bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) eradication programme for 2024 is currently being finalised by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
The DAFM confirmed that it will continue to provide an “extensive range of critical supports” for BVD test positive herds this year.
The funding is being finalised by the DAFM as part of an “overall comprehensive support package” towards the programme.
Supports for BVD test positive herds aim to ensure that the risk of future disease breakdown is lowered and the risk to other herds is reduced, the DAFM said.
BVD eradication
BVD testing results for 2024 until week three show that 7,218 calves have been tested, latest figures by Animal Health Ireland (AHI) show.
Of these one calf tested positive based on the initial tag test result prior to any confirmatory testing, according to AHI.
The national programme to eradicate BVD for all cattle herds in Ireland is operated by AHI on behalf of the DAFM.
In 2023 additional funding of €2.25 million supported the continuation of BVD tag testing, with payments of €2/calf, up to a maximum of 25 calves per herd.
The BVD tag testing scheme targeted breeding herds and in particular smaller breeding herds where the relative costs are the greatest.
The DAFM has not confirmed whether this support will continue this year. The terms and conditions state that the scheme will only operate for one year.