The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D., today confirmed the continuation of the supports from his Department for the early removal of PI (persistently infected) calves under the national Bovine Viral Disease (BVD) Eradication Programme.

Minister Creed expressed his satisfaction with the ongoing progress being made in the eradication of BVD.  The Minister noted that substantial savings were being achieved by farmers, with the incidence of PIs reducing in 2019 to just 0.04% from 0.66% in 2013 – the first year of the compulsory phase of the Eradication Programme.

He said “the DAFM supports were helping the eradication effort and will be further enhanced by the proposed amendment to the existing regulations coming into effect in early 2020 whereby it will now be a legal requirement for all animals born on or before 1 January 2013 to have a known BVD status.” 

The supports available in 2020 in respect of early removal of PI calves will be as follows:

Dairy Herds

• €160 if the female dairy and dairy cross calves are removed within 10 days of the first positive or inconclusive test.
• €30 if the female dairy and dairy cross calves are removed between day 11 and 21 of the first positive or inconclusive test.
• €30 towards the disposal of dairy bull calves through the abattoir or knackery within 14 days of the first positive or inconclusive test.

Beef Herds

• €220 if the calf is removed within 10 days of the first positive or inconclusive test.
• €30 if the calf is removed between day 11 and 21 of the first positive or inconclusive test.

Older animals born prior to 1 January 2013 will not be eligible for compensation.

Herd Restrictions

The system of automatic herd restrictions and notification of neighbours will continue in 2020.  The restrictions will apply at 3 weeks following the date of the original positive or inconclusive test in the event that a date of death is not recorded on AIM by that time. 

Confirmatory testing

In the small number of cases where it is requested, confirmatory testing will be done through blood sample similar to the arrangements in previous years.  Under this arrangement the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will continue to fund the collection of blood samples by a Private Veterinary Practitioner (PVP), and their subsequent testing and when sampled at the same time, testing of their dams.

The Minister also confirmed that the system of mandatory farm herd investigation once a PI is disclosed (TASAH) will continue.  This arrangement, funded under the RDP 2014-2020, has proven beneficial to farmers in assisting them in the eradication of the disease.  An increased level of testing within these herds will take place as part of this arrangement into 2020.

The Minister stated that the BVD Implementation Group continues to consider those additional measures needed to bring the Eradication Programme to as speedy a conclusion as possible.

Account will also have to be taken during 2020 of the coming into force of Animal Health Legislation in early 2021 and the required changes needed to achieve official recognition of the programme at EU level.

Finally, the Minister took the opportunity to thank Animal Health Ireland and the Industry’s BVD Implementation Group for their valuable work in the course of 2019.

ENDS

Date Released: 20 December 2019