Farmers and veterinarians in Ireland are being asked to add their voices to a cross-European exercise to find out what animal diseases are of most concern to the agricultural community.
The BioSecure project, funded by the European Commission, is inviting farmers and veterinarians in the cattle, poultry, goat, and sheep sectors across the Republic of Ireland to take part in a significant survey.
This survey aims to gather valuable insights on biosecurity and disease prioritisation within these industries.
Head of the pig development in Teagasc, Dr. Edgar Garcia Manzanilla, who is a partner in the EU Biosecure Project said: “This is an excellent opportunity for farmers and vets, and in particular Irish farmers and vets, to influence the focus of EU activities and resources on animal health in the coming years.”
Animal diseases
Teagasc and Animal Health Ireland (AHI) are leading Irish involvement in the EU Biosecure project, which is dedicated to enhancing the biosecurity capacity of livestock farming across Europe.
By prioritising and implementing evidence-based, cost-effective, and sustainable biosecurity management systems, the initiative aims to protect both animal and public health.
This comprehensive approach is aimed at fortifying the livestock production chain against biosecurity threats and improve overall agricultural practices.
Social Scientist with the Rural Economy and Development Programme in Teagasc, Dr. Áine Regan highlighted the importance of hearing from farmers and vets directly about what diseases they feel are of most risk to their farming sectors.
“It’s really important that we hear the views from farmers and vets themselves – they are the people who will be on the frontline in managing diseases and dealing with the effects of disease, so it is crucial that their views are considered in how we develop recommendations around animal health,” she said.
“Our aim is to hear from farmers and vets right across Europe about the concerns they have.”
As the backbone of Ireland’s agricultural economy, farmers and veterinarians play a pivotal role in ensuring the health and welfare of livestock, according to Teagasc.
The insights gathered from the survey will directly contribute to the development of more effective strategies to combat animal diseases and promote robust biosecurity measures on farms nationwide.
Survey
As part of the project, farmers and veterinarians are encouraged to share their opinions on biosecurity and identify the diseases they consider most significant within their sectors.
The insights gathered from this survey will be instrumental in developing robust risk models and gaining a deeper understanding of biosecurity challenges, according to Teagasc.
This will enable researchers to formulate strategies that address the most pressing threats to the agricultural sector.
Chartered health psychologist with Animal Health Ireland, Alison Burrell emphasised the importance of this initiative: “The collaborative efforts of our farmers and vets are essential in safeguarding the health of our livestock and the sustainability of our agricultural industry.
“By participating in this survey, you are contributing to a collective effort to improve animal health and biosecurity standards across Ireland.”
The project seeks responses from veterinarians, cattle farmers, poultry farmers, and small ruminant (sheep and goat) farmers.
Participation involves completing a short online survey, which is divided by sector to streamline the process. The survey takes approximately five minutes to complete and be found on the Teagasc website.