Farmers advised to contact BVD tissue tag providers directly to order tags
However, the Department of Agriculture has changed the process for ordering and supply of official identification tags for 2017, and it no longer issues tag order forms.
Lists of suppliers of approved BVD tags and of the laboratories approved to test these are available on the animalhealthireland.ie website.
The advice from Animal Health Ireland (AHI) is to select a provider of tissue tags suitable for BVD testing from the list, and contact them directly, to order tags.
Animal Health Ireland recommends that farmers contact laboratories for prices for testing each tag type, and to only send tags to labs designated to test that particular tag type (this information is also on the animalhealthireland.ie website).
AHI has confirmed the increased financial supports from the Department, but with reduced time limits, for removal of PI calves.
AHI has also confirmed that all herds with PI calves born in 2017 are required to undergo an investigation funded through the Rural Development Plan.
This will be delivered by an approved private veterinary practitioner, within three months of the date of the first positive result.
For details, see https://goo.gl/Nw8ZgH or contact Animal Health Ireland at 071-9671928.
Testing of the dam of PI calves and, where desired, confirmatory testing of the calf must be done by blood sample only.
The department will pay for this visit by the herd’s vet, and the cost of testing.
