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ICSA CALLS FOR BVD ERADICATION PROGRAMME TO BE WOUND UP

Sep 28, 2018 | Latest News, Press Releases | 0 comments

28 SEPTEMBER 2018

ICSA Animal Health & Welfare chair Hugh Farrell has called for the BVD Eradication Programme to be wound up as quickly as possible and said that efforts need to be intensified in order to achieve that. “We are now in the sixth year of what was sold to us as a three year programme. It’s costing farmers upwards of €6m a year, which isn’t something that can be sustained any longer. Farmers are getting very frustrated that there is no end in sight.”

Continuing Mr Farrell said “The key to the programme has always been to identify and remove PI cattle from the national herd. Yet, there remains a significant number of cattle with an ‘unknown’ status which needs to be addressed. In addition, adequate levels of compensation for beef calves must be forthcoming for the swift removal of PI calves to be guaranteed. ICSA believes that €400 per beef calf should be provided for and that AHI and the sector must push harder to get to the end point.”

“The Department have recently established a TB forum, with the aim of eradicating TB by 2030. ICSA is keen to hear proposals in relation to that, however, confidence in that programme can only be measured against the success of previous programmes. The overrun of the BVD programme, at such a significant cost to farmers, is cause for real concern.”

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CONVENING OF NFFSC MUST KICKSTART EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO WEATHER RELATED DIFFICULTIES FACING FARMERS

ICSA president Sean McNamara has said the convening of the National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) tomorrow must kick start an emergency response to the ongoing difficulties facing farmers amidst continuing heavy rainfall. “With any hope of an early spring well and truly dashed and any fodder reserves dwindling fast it is clear this committee needs to rapidly reassess the current situation on the ground, including the extent of the fodder shortages and the impact of continued wet weather on farming operations,” he said.

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