Farmers call for better payments under BVD eradication scheme

FARMERS have welcomed the new BVD eradication scheme, but warn that the fees involved fall well short of the real economic costs to farmers.

Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) suckler chairman Dermot Kelleher said that the €100 allocated for each persistently infected animal, along with a €15 knackery subsidy, falls well short of the economic cost to the farmer.

Mr Kelleher said: “ICSA supports the effort to eradicate this damaging disease from the national herd and we encourage all farmers to test their calves in 2012. This will give farmers a head start on 2013 when the testing will be compulsory.