The Department of Agriculture has released details of its Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) Financial Supports Programme for 2023.

The programme is similar to recent years and continues to offer significantly higher levels of compensation where beef calves, beef x dairy-cross calves and dairy heifer calves are removed from the herd within 10 days of the first positive or inconclusive test.

Payments for animals described as “BVD positive in 2023” will be made, on application, for each eligible animal that is removed to a knackery, abattoir or meat plant and has a date of death recorded on the AIM system as follows for beef calves:

  • €220 if the animal is removed within 10 days of the first positive or inconclusive test.
  • €30 if the animal is removed between day 11 and 21 of the first positive or inconclusive test.
  • In the case of dairy calves, the payment is as follows:

  • €160 if the dairy female or dairy-cross animal is removed within 10 days of positive or inconclusive BVD test.
  • €30 if the dairy female or dairy-cross animal is removed between day 11 and 21 of the first positive or inconclusive BVD test.
  • €30 if the dairy bull is removed within 14 days of the positive or inconclusive BVD test.
  • Terms and conditions

    The terms and conditions outline that no payment will be made unless all BVD-positive animals have been tested as required and removed within three weeks of their first positive or inconclusive test. It states that in addition all BVD-positive animals born prior to 1 January 2023 must have a date of death recorded on the AIM system within three weeks of their positive or inconclusive BVD test.

    To be deemed eligible to apply for compensation, samples must be collected and submitted to designated laboratories for testing within 20 days of birth. Furthermore, animals must comply with legislation regarding completing birth registrations within 27 days of birth.

    All BVD-positive animals disclosed as a test positive or inconclusive for the BVD virus in 2023 must also be removed to an abattoir, knackery or meat plant and have a date of death recorded on the AIM system within the timeframes specified in the payment rates section above. This means that you cannot avail of compensation on some animals and not abide by the criteria on others.

    Tagging subsidy

    As announced in December, the Department of Agriculture has committed an additional €2.25m to the BVD National Eradication Programme to subsidise the cost of testing calves. Payment of €2 per head will be made for the first 25 calves born in a herd in 2023.

    In contrast to the BVD Financial Supports Programme, there is no application process and payment will be automatically made in a similar manner to the Electronic Identification Tag Subsidy Scheme.

    It was also confirmed that the Targeted Advisory Service on Animal Health (TASAH), a mandatory herd epidemiological investigation after disclosure of a BVD positive or inconclusive animal, will continue for 2023.

    Future of testing

    The Irish BVD National Eradication Programme was aligned to European Animal Health Law in 2022 with official recognition of the programme granted. Ireland has satisfied two conditions for BVD-free status – animal level prevalence, and the absence of a confirmed BVD case for 18 months. The final component is a national herd level prevalence of 99.8% of all herds free of BVD. It is hoped Ireland should be positioned to apply for BVD-free status by year end 2023.