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Renewed caution urged on BVD ahead of breeding season

With the onset of the breeding season, which is the highest-risk period for the generation of bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) persistently infected cattle, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has urged renewed caution on BVD over the next number of months.

As BVD prevalence reduces, so too does the natural immunity of the national herd to BVD. This, along with decreased overall use of vaccination, places herds at increased risk, if infection enters a herd. Research has shown that a BVD outbreak costs €63 per cow in dairy herds and €32 per cow in suckler herds, and this can lead to very substantial financial losses. In the past year, epidemiological investigations have identified the emergence of a small number of local clusters of infection, with infection having spread between herds – this is thought to result from the movement of animals, equipment and people. The situation in the North Kerry/West Limerick area, a concern in 2023, has improved markedly in 2024, according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Further research has identified that herds within 5km of a positive herd are at an increased risk and the risk is highest for those herds within 400 metres of test positive herds. In this context, herdowners are being asked to focus on biosecurity – to protect their herds and support the final move towards BVD freedom.
Minister McConologue has emphasised that it is most important that:

  • Herds that have BVD test positive results in 2024 promptly engage with the BVD control programme, quickly remove all test positive animals, and complete the vaccination programme;
  • Herds with test positive cattle in 2023 complete their follow-up 2024 vaccination programme ahead of the breeding period; and
  • Herds that have been notified of BVD test positive cattle in their neighbourhood should seek advice from their veterinary practitioner, review their biosecurity practices, including vaccination policies, and enhance these where needed.

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