Changes introduced under the Department of Agriculture run Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) Financial Supports payment came into effect on 1 January.

There are a number of changes farmers should be aware of. The payment for disposing of persistently infected (PI) calves to a knackery, abattoir or meat plant has increased, but there is a tighter timeframe of three weeks, compared to five weeks previously, following the first positive or inclusive test to do so.

The payment for beef calves has increased from €140 to €185, while the payment for dairy heifer calves has increased from €120/calf to €150/calf. Dairy cross heifer calves are also included in this category for 2017, plus there is a €30 payment for Friesian bull calves disposed moved from farms within 21 days.

The second window to remove calves has also tightened from seven weeks to between 22 days and 35 days from the first positive or inconclusive test.

The payment rate for beef calves in the second window has reduced from €90 to €60, while dairy heifer calves have reduced from €70 to €35, with crosses also added into this category. There is no second payment window for Friesian bull calves.

The tighter timeframe has received negative feedback in some areas, due to the period being too short to obtain the results of a repeat test before disposing of calves. AHI is encouraging farmers to study the sensitivity of the first test and use this in their decisions on the likelihood of a second test showing a different result.

Programme manager David Graham explained: “The proportion of calves that are subjected to a confirmatory test following a positive or inconclusive result on their initial test has decreased each year of the programme, from 76% in 2013 to 64% in 2016, reflecting a decreasing level of retention.

Of those subject to retest in 2016, 76% were positive. Prior analysis has shown that where calves are subject to a confirmatory test and found positive, confirming them as persistently infected, this tends to lead to them being retained for longer, despite their PI status having been confirmed.

Analysis has also shown that the initial test value provides a good basis for predicting whether an animal is persistently or transiently infected. Practitioners will be able to use this information to advise on a case-by-case basis on the merits of retesting”.

Other changes

Other changes to the BVD eradication programme in 2017 are automatic restrictions being introduced on herds five weeks following the date of the original positive or inconclusive test in a herd. There will also be automatic derestriction once animals are disposed off.

Confirmatory blood testing, where a farmer wishes to avail of it, also replaces repeat tissue sampling, which is no longer allowable. The Department is also providing funding for a vet to visit a farm and collect a blood sample from the dam and calf, which will eliminate the chance of allowing a PI animal through the net. A trained veterinary practitioner will also conduct a mandatory farm herd investigation once a PI animal is identified.

2016 results

Programme results on the Animal Health Ireland (AHI) website show just 97 herds retaining one or more PI calves born in 2016 (and alive for greater than seven weeks after the initial BVD test). This is a significant improvement on previous year’s levels, with the number of PI calves identified also reducing significantly on an annual basis.

Altogether, there were 3,757 PI calves born in 2016, a fall of 3,666 head on year-earlier levels. The number of positive herds has also decreased, as one would expect, falling in line with a reduction in PI calves from 4,754 in 2015 to 2,485.