A pilot policy from the Department of Agriculture will allow approved farms purchase calves from TB-restricted herds.
These herds will be known as controlled calf-rearing units (CCRUs) and are being introduced to deal with potential welfare issues on over-stocked TB-restricted dairy herds.
The Department said managing surplus calves during a restriction can be a significant problem for some TB-affected herds.
Existing herds can apply for approval to operate as a controlled rearing unit but no applications have been received to date.
Herds that secure approval will be able to rear, fatten or finish calves from up to four TB restricted herds.
Calves that move from restricted herds will be confined to these specialist farms or controlled TB feedlots for life.
The calves may not enter general trade and may only move to a TB-controlled facility or directly to slaughter.
To control any potential risk of TB spread, CCRUs will be required to operate under strict controls.
The Department must be provided with a rearing plan outlining biosecurity measures to be undertaken and each batch of calves must be TB-tested twice prior to grazing.
Movement permits
Certain movement permits will also be required for both the selling and purchasing herds.
In a statement to the Irish Farmers Journal, the Department said: “The goal of this policy is to provide a mechanism to alleviate possible welfare issues caused by calves being restricted to farms which have not made sufficient provision to care for them, while balancing this with mitigating the risk of any spread of TB associated with calves moving from infected herds into uninfected herds.”
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A pilot policy from the Department of Agriculture will allow approved farms purchase calves from TB-restricted herds.
These herds will be known as controlled calf-rearing units (CCRUs) and are being introduced to deal with potential welfare issues on over-stocked TB-restricted dairy herds.
The Department said managing surplus calves during a restriction can be a significant problem for some TB-affected herds.
Existing herds can apply for approval to operate as a controlled rearing unit but no applications have been received to date.
Herds that secure approval will be able to rear, fatten or finish calves from up to four TB restricted herds.
Calves that move from restricted herds will be confined to these specialist farms or controlled TB feedlots for life.
The calves may not enter general trade and may only move to a TB-controlled facility or directly to slaughter.
To control any potential risk of TB spread, CCRUs will be required to operate under strict controls.
The Department must be provided with a rearing plan outlining biosecurity measures to be undertaken and each batch of calves must be TB-tested twice prior to grazing.
Movement permits
Certain movement permits will also be required for both the selling and purchasing herds.
In a statement to the Irish Farmers Journal, the Department said: “The goal of this policy is to provide a mechanism to alleviate possible welfare issues caused by calves being restricted to farms which have not made sufficient provision to care for them, while balancing this with mitigating the risk of any spread of TB associated with calves moving from infected herds into uninfected herds.”
Read more
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Autumn date for new TB strategy
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