Farmers are seeking an "immediate increase" in compensation for bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) persistently infected (PI) calves.

Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) animal health chairperson, David Hall has said that current levels "no longer reflect the reality of the cattle market", and are "leaving farmers significantly out of pocket".

“Significant increases in the value of calves in recent years have left BVD compensation for persistently infected (PI) calves unacceptably low," Hall said.

"The existing rates of €220 for a calf from a suckler-breed dam and €160 for a calf from a dairy-breed dam are only a fraction of the value on the open market."

'Significant hardship'

Uncovering a PI animal "creates significant hardship" on farms at an already busy time of year, Hall said.

When a PI is identified, it "brings increased workload through additional testing requirements and the retention of calves that otherwise would have been sold".

"This places additional pressure on farm families during the busiest period of the year," the IFA said.

Farmers have made a "major financial commitment" to the BVD eradication programme since its introduction in 2013.

“Farmers have directly invested more than €120 million in the BVD programme and have removed PI animals from their farms for values well below the open market value of similar uninfected animals," Hall continued.

Hall acknowledged the progress achieved and the wider benefits to dairy co-ops, meat processors and cattle finishers as well as the reduction in antibiotic usage, improved animal performance, and younger age of slaughter.

He said these all support key national policy objectives.

However, he warned that the programme is "now stagnating at low levels of infection".

“The BVD programme has made huge progress in reducing disease levels in the national herd, but it is now stagnating, which will delay the target of disease freedom in the country," Hall said.

"Suckler and dairy farmers cannot be left to continually carry the burden of the BVD programme when the benefits of eradication extend far beyond the farm gate."

Financial supports

Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy recently asked Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon the basis for compensation levels regarding BVD, when current levels were set and when they were last reviewed.

Minister Heydon said his department currently provides a "variety of extensive financial supports to the BVD national eradication programme, to herdowners who disclose BVD positive or inconclusive test results in beef and dairy herds".

"In addition, my department also provides supports for adversely affected farms where at least 12% of the number of calves born in a given year are affected," the minister said.

"In recent years the increase in expenditure on the scheme has been focused on acknowledging the contribution of all animals towards the eradication effort of this disease."

The minister said his department allocated €3.3 million to support the continuation of BVD tag testing in 2025 and this will continue in 2026.

"This targeted breeding herds and in particular smaller breeding herds where the relative costs are the greatest," he said.

"The support provides a payment of €3.50 per calf tissue tested up to a maximum of 25 calves per herd."

Control programme

The department also offers BVD epidemiological investigations under the Target Advisory Service on Animal Health (TASAH).

These focus on biosecurity advice, vaccination, additional testing/sampling, as may be appropriate in line with the programme requirements, of any herds which now identify positive/inconclusive tested animals at no cost to herdowners.

The BVD eradication programme is a national compulsory disease control programme of cattle herds in Ireland.

The minister said it operates as a public-private partnership between the department and Animal Health Ireland (AHI), with support from stakeholders, including representatives from farming, breeder and industry organisations.

"I would like to acknowledge the huge efforts from the stakeholders to eradicate BVD in the national herd," Minister Heydon added.

He said that "tremendous" progress has been made in reducing the level of disease in the national herd.

"During 2026, I will continue delivering financial support to all herds in Ireland affected and testing support under the BVD tag testing scheme 2026 in recognition of the efforts of farmers in reducing the levels of this disease in our territory," Minister Heydon said.