Animal Health and Welfare
Maintaining a healthy herd must be the first priority of all farmers. Good breeding, calf-rearing, grassland management, winter feeding, housing, biosecurity, etc. are essential to maintaining good health in animals.
Good health is essential for good welfare but they are not the same thing. An animal in good health can suffer poor welfare. In the long-term, poor welfare will contribute to health problems.
Information on health and welfare issues relating to specific groups of animals is available at the links below.
Dairy
Dairy Animal Health (PDF)
Beef
Animal Health (PDF)
Sheep
Calf Health
Calf Health (PDF)
Equine
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
Find out more about Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) here
Bovine Tuberculosis
Just over 3% of herds in Ireland will go down with TB in any given year. Prevention is better that cure when it comes to TB. It can be a huge health threat to our stock, ourselves and impacts on the economic viability of the farm. Find out more about Bovine Tuberculosis here
Castration- Best Practice
The castration of male cattle intended for beef production is a common practice in many countries. Castration is considered to cause a degree of pain and stress and has been shown to elicit physiological stress, inflammatory reactions, pain-associated behaviour, suppression of immune function and a reduction in performance. The nature and duration of an animal’s response to castration are dependent on a number of factors, including the method employed, the age of animals, the post-castration management, and whether or not pain relief is provided. Read more about best practice for castration