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The cost of sending BVD samples is set to rise, with new An Post charges for 2019.
Sending up to 10 samples will cost 11% more this year, with the cost increasing from €1.80 to €2 from 25 February.
If the correct postage is not paid, samples will be delayed. It is recommended that larger amounts of tags should be registered to ensure delivery.
So far this year, some 3,593 BVD samples delivered to labs have been empty, according to Animal Health Ireland. This equates to 1.10% of all animals tested and is down from 1.54% in the same period last year.
One laboratory said it had an issue with the drying agent in some BVD samples submitted. The drying agent is visible as small beads in the sample tube.
Where the drying agent has been a problem, samples had to be re-tested.
The laboratory manager said that it was an issue for just one tag supplier. Other labs say they have not experienced the same problem.
The number of Persistently Infected (PI) animals has fallen from 0.05% last year to 0.02% (94 animals) this year. Thirty of the PI animals were recorded as dead.
There has been one inconclusive result so far this year and 98.88% of calves tested have been negative for BVD.
There are now 75,095 Negative Herd Status (NHS) herds in the country, an increase of 3,574 since this time last year. There are 61 (0.21%) positive herds.
Supports for removal of PI calves from farms in 2019 are available, but the number of days for removal has been reduced in order to qualify for payment.
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