Latest news with #AHWNI
Agriland
20-06-2025
- Health
- Agriland
Animal health status a ‘clear driver' of sustainability levels
Taking a 'silo approach' to animal health misses out fundamentally on the impact this key principle of animal husbandry has across farming as a whole, according to veterinarian Dr. Sam Strain. This was the clear message the vet delivered to the recent Northern Ireland Institute of Agricultural Science (NIIAS) annual conference. He specifically referenced the link between animal health and the issues of production efficiency, carbon footprint, and medicine usage. Moreover, he said these are all matters that determine the overall sustainability of farming and food at the present time. Dr. Strain is the chief executive of Animal Health and Welfare Northern Ireland (AHWNI). In his presentation to the NIIAS conference, he confirmed that animal health status has an overarching impact on livestock performance. In other words, an animal's genetic potential will never be fully reached if its health status is compromised, irrespective of the nutritional regimes that are followed. Chatting at the NIIAS conference, Institute members (l-r) Sean McIntyre, Valerie Westfield, and Lowry Cunningham According to the vet, clear links have also been confirmed between animal health status, production output, and the associated impact on the environment. Dr. Strain explained: 'Between 2007 and 2017, milk output in the United States rose by 24.9%. 'However, greenhouse gas emission levels only increased by 1% during the same period. 'Analysis of these results has clearly shown that animal health status is a clear driver of whole herd efficiency and sustainability levels.' The AHWNI representative highlighted the need for calves to be tagged as early as possible. This is a key requirement, linked to the ongoing bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) eradication programme in Northern Ireland. Dr. Strain also noted that further legislation will be required to allow for the full completion of the BVD measure. Animal health Animal health standards are directly linked to the usage of antibiotics within production agriculture. He also confirmed that a specific disease breakdown predisposes animals to other health-related issues, which in turn can lead to increased antimicrobial usage. He added: 'There is a tremendous level of interaction between diseases. For example, BVD predisposes animal to pneumonia. Infectious disease move within animals. 'But simple steps taken by farmers to tackle one specific issue can have repercussions across other aspects of animal health. 'For example, improving hygiene standards in calving areas to reduce the prevalence of Johne's disease will also act to reduce scour levels in newborn calves.' Dr Strain also spoke of how improving animal health can have benefits for efforts to reduce carbon emissions. 'There is also a clear line between improved livestock health standards and the carbon footprint generated by a livestock farming business,' the AHWNI representative said. 'For example, reducing lameness problems within dairy herds will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emission levels. 'And reducing parasite burdens, such as those created by fluke and worms, will also deliver overall reductions in carbon footprint values.'
Agriland
10-06-2025
- Health
- Agriland
NI farmers advised to ensure no cattle in herd with BVD risk
Animal Health and Welfare Northern Ireland (AHWNI) is advising farmers to ensure that there are no cattle in their herds that could be potential sources of BVD infection. According to AHWNI, animals with undisclosed infection can present a BVD risk to the rest of the herd, to neighbouring herds, or to purchasing herds, by being the cause of transient infections that allow the virus to circulate. It said that the presence of the BVD virus in a herd can be very costly, as its immunosuppressive effects can put transiently infected cattle at risk of pneumonias and scours. The AHWNI highlighted that this month (June 2025), the Department of Agriculture, Enterprise and Rural Affairs (DAERA), commenced the process of restricting herds with more than 20 cattle over 30 days of age that have not had a BVD test result recorded. It claimed that just over 100 herd owners have been informed that their herd will be restricted after 28 days if all animals over 30 days of age are not BVD tested. It also said that all moves in and out will be prohibited, except for movements to direct slaughter. Farmers who receive a warning letter from DAERA are strongly advised to act without delay to avoid their herd being restricted. BVD AHWNI has said that from December 1, 2025, the threshold will be changed, so that movement restrictions will be applied by DAERA on herds with 10 or more BVD unknown status (BVDU) cattle. It also explained that restrictions on herds with BVDUs will be lifted immediately on confirmation of a negative BVD result for all cattle more than 30 days old. In a statement, AHWNI said: 'Testing should be carried out using supplementary tags or blood samples taken by a private vet. 'As the drive to stamp out BVD continues, herd owners are urged to test newborn calves promptly and to ensure that test results are returned for all cattle. Any that have a 'no sample' report returned should be retested as soon as possible,' it added.
Agriland
20-05-2025
- Health
- Agriland
BVD restrictions ahead for NI herds with untested animals
The Animal Health and Welfare Northern Ireland (AHWNI) has warned that restrictions are coming for herds with significant numbers of cattle untested for bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD). From June, these restrictions will initially be applied if there are 20 or more animals more than 30 days-of-age present in the herd that have not had a BVD test. Any associated herds will also be restricted, and all inward and outward movements will be affected, apart from movements directly to slaughter or for disposal. BVD AHWNI said that animals that have not been tested for BVD pose an infection risk to other cattle as some of them may be infected with the virus. From December 1, 2025, the threshold for the application of restrictions will be reduced to 10 or more untested animals, and after a further six months the threshold is to drop to 5 or more untested animals. Cattle born before March 1, 2016 (the start of the compulsory programme) that have not been tested or had a BVD negative calf registered against them also have a 'BVD Unknown (BVDU)' status and need to be tested. 'These 'older' cattle will contribute to the BVDU count on which the application of restrictions will be based. 'Any dam that has had a test negative calf automatically gains a negative status and does not need to be directly tested,' AHWNI added. Restrictions on herds with BVDU animals will be lifted immediately on confirmation of a negative BVD result for all cattle more than 30 days old. Cattle with a BVDU status are restricted individually from moving to markets, other farms and abattoirs. AHWNI AHWNI is recommending that farmers take steps to protect their herds and avoid BVD restrictions being imposed, by taking action to keep the virus out in the first instance, by ensuring that all calves are tested promptly and by testing all BVDU status cattle Currently, restrictions are applied to herds that have retained BVD positive or inconclusive cattle for more than seven days from disclosure. 'Since the introduction of herd restrictions in February, there has been a marked decrease in retention levels, and this decrease is lowering the risk of virus transmission to other cattle. 'Critically, this is happening at a time when we are approaching one of the peak periods of susceptibility of pregnant stock. 'The benefits of these measures will be seen in the next calving season and will help industry progress towards its aim of eradication of the BVD virus in NI,' AHWNI said.
Agriland
30-04-2025
- Health
- Agriland
Cattle in NI ‘increasingly susceptible' to BVD
Farmers have been warned that cattle in the Northern Ireland herd will be 'increasingly susceptible' to bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), according to the Animal Health and Welfare NI (AHWNI) group. The organisation, which promotes improved cattle and sheep health and welfare, said this is primarily due to decreasing levels of natural immunity to BVD. From tomorrow (Thursday, May 1) new herd restrictions will be applied in Northern Ireland if any BVD positive or inconclusive cattle are kept for seven days. These restrictions will remain in place until three weeks have passed after the last positive or Inconclusive animal has been culled. AHWNI is now encouraging farmers to think ahead 'to future proof herds from infection with the BVD virus'. The organisation said that some herd owners have chosen to 'induce a protective immunity by vaccinating their cattle'. But it has also disclosed that it is aware of several cases where outbreaks of BVD have occurred due to circulating virus 'in vaccinating herds' where vaccination protocols were not carried out in line with the manufacturer's advice. In a statement, AHWNI said: 'BVD vaccines protect the developing foetus from infection with the BVD virus across the placenta. 'It is important to check the individual vaccine data sheets, in general, the vaccination course (either 2 shots 4 weeks apart or a single shot) should be completed three to four weeks before the breeding season. 'Booster vaccinations should be given, again according to the specific instructions. Following the correct protocol will ensure that the best return is being gained from the investment being made in the vaccines.' Cattle According to AHWNI, the most common source of infection in new BVD outbreaks in cattle herds has been linked to the introduction of new stock. But it has highlighted that a larger proportion of current outbreaks are occurring in herds that 'have not introduced stock' and where there was no contact with other herds during the susceptible window for infection. The organisation has indicated that one of the factors behind these outbreaks may have been from 'contaminated material' being moved on to farms on equipment or people. 'Requiring high standards of hygiene from visitors to the farm is vital in every herd. 'In breakdown herds, thorough cleaning and disinfection of pens where the positive calves have been present is important to reduce the risk of virus spread,' AHWNI outlined. Latest BVD statistics in Northern Ireland highlight the impact that herd restrictions have had on the retention of BVD positive calves by farmers. According to AHWNI by the end of April, there were only 55 BVD positive animals alive in 34 herds, out of those 28 animals in 22 herds had been retained for more than seven days. Only two herds had retained BVD positive calves for more than 28 days.
