The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has urged DAERA to take a harder line with farmers who fail to dispose of calves persistently infected with bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD).

At present, the legislation prevents farmers from moving PI animals except for slaughter or rendering, but the UFU wants more controls in place.

“We have asked them [DAERA] to close down a herd that is unwilling to get rid of PI calves so that it can’t buy or can’t sell,” said deputy president Victor Chestnutt at the UFU roadshow in Limavady on Monday night.

Chestnutt said that there was no point in having the BVD eradication programme if PI calves were not leaving the system. “As soon as the carrot comes in to get rid of the calf, we want the stick in to make sure it disappears,” he said.

That carrot is coming in the form of a financial incentive confirmed by Agriculture Minister Michelle McIlveen this week. Anyone who disposes of a PI calf within four weeks of receiving a positive BVD result (six weeks if a re-test is undertaken) will be able to claim financial assistance of £160 for a beef calf; £130 for a dairy heifer calf; and £50 for a dairy male calf.