Teagasc advice: High alert on disease

More than 90% of herds, and about 65% of cows, were positive for liver fluke in 250 beef herds investigated by Teagasc in the 2014/2015 winter for exposure to liver fluke.

And when 169 spring calving, non-vaccinating suckler cow herds were investigated in the 2014 and 2015 summer months, exposure to Leptospirosis and BVD was found in 70-80%of herds.

Farmers attending last week’s Beef 2016 event at the Teagasc Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Grange, Co Meath, were told infectious agents can damage suckler cow fertility by increasing embryo mortality and in particular, abortion.