NCBC in recovery mode after IBR disease found at its AI stud

NATIONAL Cattle Breeding Centre chief executive Bernard Eivers said last week he is confident NCBC can manage its way through the loss of more than 60 of the country’s best AI bulls, after IBR disease was found at one of its three bull accommodation centres.

The highly-infectious virus, which causes respiratory disease, is thought to be present in 80% of Irish cattle herds. Strict EU rules exclude animals that test positive for IBR from official semen-collection centres, because carrier bulls may shed the virus in semen. The disease has ruled many bulls out of AI breeding, and made drastic action necessary after the NCBC outbreak, resulting in the slaughter of more than 60 bulls. In keeping with a policy of ongoing semen recovery from bulls, in case of future disease outbreaks, NCBC had build up enough semen for 2011 sales, said Eivers.

He said 15% to 20% more semen — which complies with EU veterinary regulation — had been collected from high-genetic value bulls, coming into this spring, than was collected for all of 2010. Staff at NCBC were collecting semen from new bulls in their bid to return to full production, working in co-operation with Department of Agriculture officials.