Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2023
911. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what consideration he has given to the IBR testing requirement under the national beef welfare scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47916/23]
View answerThe objective of the National Beef Welfare Scheme (NBWS) is to further increase the economic efficiency of and enhance animal health and husbandry on suckler farms. The IBR component is designed to provide valuable information to farmers in relation to the health of their herds and allow them to take any necessary action to mitigate disease risk. Both elements of the NBWS - IBR testing and meal feeding - are mandatory.
IBR testing will be beneficial in providing farmers with clear information as to the prevalence of IBR within your herd, allowing farmers to take whatever action may be necessary to improve the animal health status and thus productivity on their farming unit.
