The latest bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) national eradication programme results shows the number of BVD-positive calves falling by 178 head to 332 calves.

This represents 0.02% of the 1.95m calves tested up to week 26 in 2024.

While there are 41,581 fewer calves tested in 2024, the results are highly positive and, if maintained, will be regarded as another significant step towards achieving BVD-free status.

Reduction

The results, published by Animal Health Ireland, also show a significant reduction in the number of herds where BVD has been identified.

The number of positive herds stands at 147 herds or 0.26% of all herds. This represents a reduction of 27 herds on the corresponding period in 2024.

There are eight herds retaining one or more BVD-positive calves alive for greater than three weeks after the first test, compared with four herds in 2023.

Empty tags

The number of empty tags identified has also fallen significantly, reducing from 19,581 (0.97%) empty tags to week 26 in 2023 to 16,282 empty tags in 2024.