Exotic diseases pose massive challenge
As a result, diseases which can ravage herds and devastate incomes could be among the biggest challenges to farmers in the future, said Co Meath veterinary practitioner Frank O'Sullivan at the Irish Farmer's Monthly Adare, Co Limerick, seminar on Maximising Beef Profits.
He said Irish authorities have failed to prevent the import of new diseases. Eradication has not been tackled either, while other EU countries are well on the way to eradicating diseases like Bovine Viral Diarrhoea and Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR).
Mr O'Sullivan warned that Irish cattle exporters are threatened by these diseases, with Germany not taking bulls with any trace of IBR, and Russia not taking cattle which are carriers of Johne's Disease.
Mr O'Sullivan said Johne's Disease is seriously embedded in herds by the time farmers become aware of it, because of the six year incubation period. And animals are carriers for life once they are infected with BVD.
He advised the beef farmers to consider herd health management programmes rather than wait for outbreaks of disease.
