This article is from page 61 of the 2008-02-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 61 JPG
ANIMAL health issues were high on the agenda at an IFA meeting in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture held in Ennis last week.
Silom rnleoeelcmm Yen Oemue mo ar-sbusem ey Seamus Murphy, Clare IFA County Chairman, included guest speakers James Hannon, Senior Veterinary Inspector; Aileen Tighe and Mary Bourke, Veterinary Inspectors of En- nis DVO.
James Hannon’s_ presentation showed that there were 88 more herds restricted in 2007 than 2006. There were also 1,117 more cattle removed from Clare herds in 2007 than in 2006.
Farmers were not alarmed by these figures, according to Seamus Mur- phy, as TB is becoming an epidemic in some parts of the county.
The senior inspector said that farm- ers have to make every effort to pre- vent interaction between wildlife and cattle. This can be done by making water-feeding troughs inaccessible to badgers and by fencing off badger sets.
Farmer assistance is vital in the badger removal programme and farmers need to respond to the let- ter when a survey is being carried out, talk to neighbours and gather as much information as you can.
Full cooperation between all par- ties involved will help reduce the
incidences of TB in the county, the chief inspector said.
Aileen Tighe gave a detailed and informative presentation on BVD with regard to transmission and sources of BVD, BVD infection dur- ing gestation and the keys to control- ling BVD.
In summary, Aileen said that con- trol of infection relies on identifica- tion and culling of PI animals from the herd.
Vaccination must continue once started, good bio security and closed or test and quarantine of replace- ments.
Mary Bourke, Veterinary Inspec- tor of DVO Ennis gave a presentation on Johnes disease. This included the
history, symptoms, how and when do cattle become infected, risk factors and consequences of infection.
Some of the control factors include improved hygiene at calving time and at calf feeding times in dairy herds, do not pool colostrums and to take care when purchasing replacement stocks said Mary Bourke.
James O’ Keeffe, who is head of the Department of Agriculture Wildlife Project Unit, and Michael O’Flynn, Chairperson of the IFA Animal Health Committee answered many questions from the floor regarding TB issues in the county.
Seamus Murphy closed the meeting and he thanked the large gathering for their participation.