The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) has called for an immediate increase in compensation for bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) persistently infected (PI) calves.

IFA animal health chair David Hall said that the current compensation being offered for BVD PI calves no longer reflects the reality of the cattle market and are leaving farmers out of pocket.

“Significant increases in the value of calves in recent years have left BVD compensation for PI calves unacceptably low,” he said.

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“The existing rates of €220 for a calf from a suckler-bred dam and €160 for a calf from a dairy-bred dam are only a fraction of the value on the open market.”

The IFA said that if a PI animal is identified on-farm, it brings with it an increased workload in terms of additional testing requirements and increased stock numbers as calves cannot be sold, elevating pressure on farm families during the busiest time of the year.

Commitment

He commented on the major financial commitment Irish farmers have made since the introduction of the BVD eradication programme in 2013: “Farmers have directly invested more than €120m in the BVD programme and have removed PI animals from their farms for values well below the open market value of similar uninfected animals.

"They have played their part in driving this programme forward.”

Hall also acknowledged the progress achieved by the eradication programme so far and the wider benefits to dairy co-ops, meat processors and cattle finishers, as well as the reduction in antibiotic usage, improved animal performance and younger age of slaughter.

Stagnating disease levels

“The BVD programme has made huge progress in reducing disease levels in the national herd, but it is now stagnating, which will delay the target of disease freedom in the country," he added.

"Suckler and dairy farmers cannot be left to continually carry the burden of the BVD programme when the benefits of eradication extend far beyond the farm gate. Maintaining farmer trust in the Animal Health Ireland model is essential for the success of current and future disease control programmes.”