A lack of staff at the Backweston Regional Veterinary Laboratory (RVL) has resulted in post-mortems being suspended at the facility, the Irish Farmers Journal understands.

Farmers in the northeast, including Kildare, Meath, Louth and Dublin, are affected.

Staff availability issues have also arisen at other RVLs, a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal.

“This has led to the temporary curtailment of some diagnostic services that are provided to farmers but the Department is endeavouring to prioritise the most significant cases.

“The staffing issues are being resolved as quickly as possible through recruitment of the specialist staff required, but this could take a few months to complete,” the spokesperson said.

It was suggested that a pilot collection service in the northeast would be considered by the Department of Agriculture, but the Department has told the Irish Farmers Journal that it “has no immediate plans to provide a carcase collection service for diagnostic purposes”.

IFA animal health chair Pat Farrell said that farmers rely on the RVL network for accurate and impartial advice and guidance when animal health issues arise on their farms.

The IFA has consistently highlighted the need for increased resources to be provided to the laboratory infrastructure to enhance the service provided to farmers.

Farrell said it is vital that all veterinary laboratories have the staff and resources to process carcases delivered by farmers, particularly at this time of year when there is so much activity on farms.

Farrell said the specific difficulty in Backweston must be addressed by providing a collection service in the northeast.

Read more

Fog fever killed suckler cows on aftergrass - RVL

Stomach worms caused 50 calves to lose thrive at grass