Further support for Johne’s disease

Further support of €260,000 for a pilot control programme co-ordinated and managed by Animal Health Ireland for Johne’s disease in cattle was announced by Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney yesterday.

The money will go towards meeting the cost of further on-farm risk assessment.

Some 1,700 farmers are already participating in the programme. Mr Coveney said the aim is to set up a voluntary national programme for Johne’s disease which enables participating herd owners to demonstrate the absence of this disease from the majority of herds.