Animal Health Ireland has reported excellent results in helping to eliminate bovine viral diarrhea (BVD). Only 6,800 calves were infected in 2014 compared to over 14,000 in 2013.
More infected animals are staying alive, helping to ensure the livelihood of farmers affected by the disease. Over 3,085 PIs were alive at the start of this June compared with 5,459 last June.
Dr David Graham, deputy chief executive of Animal Health Ireland said farmers should not keep infected calves since their chance of survival was greatly diminished. There is also the added risk of more calves being born with BVD if they are amongst calving herds.
He said: “Most will not thrive or won’t survive to finish weights and a single PI in the herd can lead to multiple PIs.”