While compulsory BVD testing of all calves has been in place since January 2013 for the Republic of Ireland, it has only been in place since 1 March 2016 in Northern Ireland (NI). For northern herds, voluntary testing has been in place since 2013.
While both eradication schemes operate on broadly similar principles for identifying persistently infected (PI) animals, there are slight differences in both schemes.
These differences mainly revolve around tag suppliers, the cost of the tissue tag and test and the number of approved laboratories that carry out the tests.
Taking a tissue sample when tagging the newborn calf is the most practical method to determine whether a newborn calf has BVD or not.
In both schemes, it is recommended to tag the calf within the first seven days of birth and ideally in the first 24 hours post-calving as early identification removes the risk of BVD spreading in the herd.
All calves born into the herd that are live, aborted or stillborn must be tested for BVD. All samples must be submitted for testing within seven days of tagging.
For both schemes, it is recommended that the tissue sample tag is inserted into the calf’s right ear. When ordering tags, typical delivery time is around 10 days under normal circumstances.
Tissue tags - Republic
Since the start of the BVD eradication programme, Mullinahone Co-op has been the only approved distributor of tag for BVD testing. This has now changed.
Cormac Tagging has now got full approval to supply tissue tags for BVD testing, to cattle farmers. Preliminary approval has also been given to Datamars Ireland to supply its BVD tissue tag. In time it too may gain full approval to sell these tags to farmers.
The arrival of these two new suppliers could offer price competition to farmers. The sample tags on offer will be button tags or larger visual ID tags.
The current taggers used by farmers for Mullinahone tags may not necessarily be compatible with the alternate, new brands of tags.
Tissue tags – NI
In NI, there are a 11 approved tag distributors for the BVD eradication scheme. A total of six different tag manufacturers supply tags through these distributors. Unlike in the Republic, where the cost of the tag and laboratory test are separate, in NI, the herd owner pays one all-inclusive price upon purchasing the tags. This price covers the testing of the tissue sample, normally carried out by AFBI, Stormont.
Tag issues
In both regions, the same guidelines are in place should a set of BVD tissue tags become damaged before use, are incorrectly used, or if a sample is lost in the post. In such instances, the herd owner should notify their tag distributor immediately and order a replacement button tag. This usually arrives within four working days. Alternatively, a vet may take a blood sample and submit it on your behalf.
Finally, if a set of sample tags are damaged before use, the herd owner may move to the next full set of tags and discard the damaged tags.
Testing
For the farmers submitting BVD samples in the Republic, there are 14 approved laboratories which are listed on the AHI website. A farmer may nominate whichever laboratory they wish to carry out the test.
In Northern Ireland, there are 10 approved laboratories for testing tissue samples collected when tagging animals.
Only one of these laboratories is based in NI, which is AFBI Stormont. The other laboratories are located in southern Ireland, Scotland and England.
Watch: Mullinahone’s cattle tag is now stronger
New tagging option for cattle farmers
Datamars already supplying cattle tags in NI
Electronic tags – what’s it all about?
Freeze-branding - is it still worthwhile?
Most sheep penalties caused by sheep census