Disease is a hot topic at NDS
Experts and farmers agree on main disease worries — bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), and paratuberculosis under the biosecure heading; and fertility, udder health/milk quality, lameness, and calf health in the non-biosecure category.
The adverse impact of biosecure diseases is currently considered relatively minor, but would increase substantially in time.
There are already substantial costs to farms and agribusiness from non-biosecure diseases and conditions.
Now, Animal Health Ireland (AHI) provides national leadership on the animal health issues not subject to national and/or EU regulation. Previously, national animal health services had been a government, rather than an industry, responsibility.
During the Irish Examiner Farming forum at the National Dairy Show, farmers can hear about the aims and objectives of Animal Health Ireland, when AHI steering group chairman Mike Magan addresses the forum.
AHI brings together farmers, processors, animal health advisors and government, with the aim of to enhancing the value for livestock and the agri-food industry, through superior animal health.
Many EU countries are making huge improvements in the disease status of their national herds, and Ireland must match them in order to be seen as a source of top quality livestock.
The Irish Examiner Farming forum in the Coach Room at the Green Glens complex kicks off at 11.45am, when former Cork IFA chairman Tim O’Leary will chair a session addressed by Paul Fagan, Farrelly and Mitchell Business Consultants on financing agriculture in the current climate, and by Morgan Sheehy of Devenish Nutrition on bridging the winter feed gap.
Farmers hope that Mr Sheehy can suggest what feedstuffs offer good value now, and how they can be incorporated into the diet.
At 1.45pm, Macra president Michael Gowing will chair a session addressed by ICMSA president Jackie Cahill on the subject of Milk Quotas — Stay or Go?; followed by Mike Magan of AHI; and finally IFA dairy chairman and presidential candidate Richard Kennedy on milk price — now the greatest worry for dairy farmers. There will be time for questions and answers after both sessions.
