BVD changes generating more progress

Changes to the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) Financial Supports Programme and tighter movement restrictions introduced earlier this year by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine are having the desired effect.

As detailed in Table 1, there are just 43 herds that have a persistently infected (PI) animal born in 2017 remaining in the herd from a total of 848 herds.

This compares with 177 herds from a total of 1,189 at the same stage in 2016. This is a threefold decrease in the proportion of herds retaining PIs in 2017 compared with 2016.

Herds are removing PI calves at a faster rate to satisfy a tighter time frame for compensation payments, with front-loading of those payments also helping greatly.

Beef herds

Beef herds will receive payment of €185 for each beef breed PI that is disposed of to a knackery, meat plant or abattoir within three weeks of the first test, while a reduced payment of €60 will apply where calves are disposed of within five weeks of the initial test.

A similar regime is in place for dairy heifers, with a payment of €150 for each dairy or dairy-cross heifer disposed of within three weeks, reducing to €35 where the animal is disposed of within five weeks of the initial test.

A payment of €30 was also introduced in 2017 for dairy bull calves disposed of within three weeks of the initial test and this is also said to be helping the swift removal of these lower-value calves.

The reason for the reduced payment if the calf is not disposed of within three weeks of the initial result is to ensure PI cattle are removed from the population as soon as possible, thereby reducing the risk of further PIs developing in the herd and neighbouring herds.

Herd restrictions

Movement restrictions on herds maintaining a PI animal for more than five weeks after the date of the first positive or inconclusive test result have also enticed many farmers to dispose of PI animals.

As well as movement restrictions, the Department is issuing notifications to neighbouring herds advising them that there is a PI animal present and advising them to take appropriate biosecurity measures.

The last element is a follow-up veterinary investigation of all herds with PI calves born in 2017. The visit is funded under the Rural Development Plan and should take place within three months of the first positive result.

Lower incidence

The table details results for 2015 to 2017, so fails to highlight the sharp fall (from 13,877 PIs in 2013 to 3,802 in 2016)in the number of PI animals identified since the compulsory eradication programme was introduced in 2013 (following a voluntary year in 2012).

While huge strides have been made, the success of the eradication programme and ending of compulsory tissue-tag testing is being delayed by PI animals being retained in herds and the associated risks of its continued spread, particularly in naïve herds.

To this end, it is highly unfortunate that the 37 herds retaining PI animals are limiting further progress.

It is necessary to deal with PI calves in a more ruthless fashion as BVD eradication schemes progress.

The retention of PIs is a false economy for the individual farmer, as these animals rarely reach their second birthday.

Until they die, they are excreting the virus, which causes illness in calves, early embryonic death and the development of future PIs in both the herd of origin and neighbouring herds.

Visit www.animalhealthireland.ie for weekly BVD eradication programme results and associated information.