Animal Health Ireland (AHI) has launched what it called the first ever 'National Biosecurity Week' ahead of breeding season.

The campaign is themed 'Biosecurity 2026: Breed Success, Not Disease'.

AHI said the campaign emphasises that biosecurity "isn't just for one week, it's for life and is central to all farm decisions".

"As the breeding season summer period will bring increased footfall on farms, strengthening biosecurity protocols to all farms is now critical," AHI said.

The body warned that poor biosecurity during breeding season can bring diseases on to farms, such as bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD).

These diseases can impact conception rates, cause pregnancy losses, and compromise calf viability ultimately costing farmers thousands of euros in lost income and veterinary bills.

AHI said that "simple, cost-effective", measures can protect farmers' breeding programmes.

Each day of the campaign will be based on a different aspect of biosecurity, with advise provided by the AHI Biosecurity Technical Working Group:

Day 1 - Launch of the campaign;
Day 2 - 'Buyer Beware: Managing the Stock Bull';
Day 3 - 'Locking out Disease: Visitors can carry more than advice';
Day 4 - 'Vaccination: Why they're critical';
Day 5 - 'Fence it out: Keeping disease out of your herd'.

Commenting on the campaign, AHI programme manager Dr. Liam Doyle said: "Farmers often ask 'what is biosecurity', and the simple answer is doing everything you can to keep disease off the farm.

"Biosecurity is more than a buzzword, it's an insurance for you farm, protecting your herd and your profits. Biosecurity can sometimes be an afterthought on farms but the decisions farmers make today can impact their operations and profits for years to come," Doyle added.

"That is why this breeding season we are asking farmers to think biosecurity first around your purchases, visitors to your farm and being proactive with vaccination," he said.

The AHI programme manager added: "It's really important that we take steps to protect the next generation of your herd, today."

The AHI is making educational resources and guidance available throughout the week through its website.