Scheme opens to remove PI calves
From Wednesday of this week, farmers with calves persistently infected (PI) with bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) can claim financial assistance when the animal is humanely destroyed.
The rate of payment is £160 for a beef calf, £130 for a dairy heifer and £50 for a dairy male.
The scheme is being delivered in partnership between Animal Health and Welfare NI (AHWNI) and the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC).
Farmers who have an animal test positive as a result of tissue tagging will receive a claim form and accompanying guidance from AHWNI, which must then be completed and sent back to the LMC to claim the money. Payments will be limited to six animals per farm business.
To be eligible, the calf birth must be recorded on APHIS in line with the current rules (births notified within 27 days). It must also remain on the farm of origin and be recorded dead on or after 1 February by the herdkeeper, and within four weeks of the initial test result. Where a re-test is undertaken (using a blood test), and confirmed positive, the calf must be recorded as dead within six weeks of the initial result.
At a AHWNI stakeholder meeting this week, Colin Hart, deputy chief vet, highlighted that nine out of 10 calves re-tested come back positive again for BVD. He also confirmed that there is little prospect of the scheme being extended much beyond the current closing date of 30 September 2017. Funding is coming from the NI share of the EU Exceptional Adjustment Aid package, and must be spent by this date.
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Get calves off to a healthy start
Scheme opens to remove PI calves
From Wednesday of this week, farmers with calves persistently infected (PI) with bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) can claim financial assistance when the animal is humanely destroyed.
The rate of payment is £160 for a beef calf, £130 for a dairy heifer and £50 for a dairy male.
The scheme is being delivered in partnership between Animal Health and Welfare NI (AHWNI) and the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC).
Farmers who have an animal test positive as a result of tissue tagging will receive a claim form and accompanying guidance from AHWNI, which must then be completed and sent back to the LMC to claim the money. Payments will be limited to six animals per farm business.
To be eligible, the calf birth must be recorded on APHIS in line with the current rules (births notified within 27 days). It must also remain on the farm of origin and be recorded dead on or after 1 February by the herdkeeper, and within four weeks of the initial test result. Where a re-test is undertaken (using a blood test), and confirmed positive, the calf must be recorded as dead within six weeks of the initial result.
At a AHWNI stakeholder meeting this week, Colin Hart, deputy chief vet, highlighted that nine out of 10 calves re-tested come back positive again for BVD. He also confirmed that there is little prospect of the scheme being extended much beyond the current closing date of 30 September 2017. Funding is coming from the NI share of the EU Exceptional Adjustment Aid package, and must be spent by this date.
Read more
Get calves off to a healthy start
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