asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if any cases of malignant catarrahal fever have been diagnosed on farms in the Republic; the action, if any, he is taking to counteract and deal with any advance of this disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Malignant Catarrhal Fever.
37.
Malignant catarrhal fever has been diagnosed occasionally in this country and usually affects only one or two cattle in a herd. However, in recent times there have been outbreaks of the disease involving multiple fatalities. My Department have alerted farmers and veterinary practitioners to the dangers and circumstances of the disease and of the need to avoid situations which could give rise to it.
Currently, my Department are in the process of establishing a veterinary liaison group with Teagasc with a view to ensuring that farmers are made fully aware of problems and conditions, including malignant catarrhal fever which can affect the disease status at farm level and for which there are means available to farmers to take effective preventative action.