Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has announced additional financial support to farmers to assist in bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) tissue testing for 2025.

Ireland is approaching BVD-free status, with further progress made in reducing the incidence of BVD in 2024

The minister said that, in recognising the benefit of a "partnership approach" to the BVD Eradication Programme, he has provided an increase in the support to farmers for tissue testing.

The levels of support available per calf tissue test will be increased to €3.50, up to a limit of 25 calves per herd.

The minister said the payment is "in recognition of the efforts of farmers in reducing the levels of this disease...as we work to reach our end goal of freedom from, and eradication of, the disease".

This increase of approximately 45% per tissue will "assist farmers in further driving down the levels of the disease", the minister said.

The reduction in BVD prevalence in breeding herds from 0.66% in 2013 - the first year of the compulsory phase of the BVD Eradication Programme - to 0.02% in 2024, has delivered benefits to all cattle herds, and to society, including better animal health and improved fertility, according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

This, in turn, has helped to reduce antimicrobial usage and contributes to a more sustainable livestock sector, the department said.

To meet the requirements of the EU Animal Health Law, Ireland must achieve an 18-month period without the disclosure of a confirmed BVD persistently infected animal, with 99.8% of cattle establishments BVD free, accounting for 99.9% of the bovine population.

Minister Heydon said: “It is widely recognised that the final stages of any eradication programme are very challenging, with a population that is increasingly susceptible to the disease.

"That is why we must ensure that the efforts of all those in combating a disease which was costing farmers an estimated €102 million per year in reduced productivity when this programme started are not undermined as we move closer to the goal of the BVD programme," he added.

Minister Heydon also took the opportunity to acknowledge the work and contributions of all stakeholders in the progress made in the reduction in the levels of the disease.

"We cannot afford to slow our control measures if BVD-free status is to be achieved. I would like to thank Animal Health Ireland (AHI) and the industry’s BVD Implementation Group for their combined efforts over the course of the programme," he added.