Clare farms worst hit by blackleg this year

Clare has been the worst affected county by blackleg to date in 2024.

Blackleg is a common disease of cattle worldwide, causing acute muscle damage and usually seen as either sudden death, or death after a short illness.

Department of Agriculture data obtained by the Irish Farmers Journal has found that farms in many counties in north Munster and southwest Leinster have been hit most severely by the clostridial disease.

The Department receives data based on voluntary submissions by farmers to regional veterinary laboratories (RVLs) and cases/outbreaks are defined as “at least one death in a herd”.

In total, there were 90 confirmed cases of blackleg in cattle in RVLs between 1 January and 25 November 2024. These figures exclude cases submitted and not yet confirmed.

Cost

Taking a figure of €1,000 for a bullock, the disease has cost farmers €90,000 this year.

August was the worst month for the disease with 26 confirmed cases, followed by October with 15. Meanwhile in November, seven cases have been confirmed so far.

The Department said that during July and August, RVLs noted a sharp increase in diagnoses, including some quite large outbreaks in farms with no prior history of the disease.

So far this year, 21 counties in the Republic of Ireland have had at least one case of blackleg with only Dublin, Kerry, Louth, Offaly and Wicklow without a confirmed outbreak.

Clare felt the brunt of the clostridial disease with 13 outbreaks so far in 2024, with August being its, and any counties, single worst month with eight cases.

The banner was followed by two near neighbours, Tipperary and Kilkenny, both with 11 and nine confirmed cases each.

Blackleg vaccines have been in tight supply across the country and have been difficult to source this year.

Zoetis confirmed earlier this year that it couldn’t supply the market with its product in February, March, April and August due to the shortage.