Animal Health Ireland

05/02/2026

On the 26th February 2026, will hold the second online EU webinar, with the theme: Exchanging knowledge on sustainable worm control via the SPARC Knowledge Exchange Platform and webGIS.

Topics include:
• An overview of practice abstracts, videos and podcasts and how these are used to train students, vets and farmers in sustainable worm control.
• The SPARC WEBGIS - a European geographical information platform on worm infection, anthelmintics, resistance and designed more for policy makers and other decision makers.
• Designer Parasite Management – Featuring Irish Ambassador Bruce Thompson

More details at www.AnimalHealthIreland.ie/ParasiteControl

05/02/2026

03/02/2026

Ireland is closer than ever to BVD freedom, with just around 200 herds affected nationwide at the end of 2025. But as calving season ramps up, acting fast has never been more important. This calving season, AHI is urging farmers to follow four simple steps:

Tag. Bag. Test. Remove.

• Tag calves promptly at birth
• Bag the tissue sample correctly
• Test samples at the lab as soon as possible after tagging
• Remove any positive calves immediately
Simple, but effective biosecurity measures are easy to implement and can protect your herd and your neighbours from BVD outbreaks this year.

Let’s protect the progress made and finish the job together.

30/01/2026

As part of the Sound Cow Innovation Programme (SCIP) EIP, Animal Health Ireland, Teagasc and University College Dublin are pleased to highlight a Teagasc Walsh Scholarship PhD opportunity.

The SCIP programme works closely with a cohort of dairy farmers to demonstrate a coordinated, practical and locally delivered approach to managing dairy cow lameness and promoting high standards of animal welfare. Aligned with this wider programme of work, Teagasc, in collaboration with University College Dublin, is offering a funded PhD opportunity linked to SCIP. The research will support the ongoing development and evaluation of approaches to lameness control on Irish dairy farms.

PhD application deadline: 25 February 2026
Proposed start date: May 2026

Further details on the scholarship are available at www.animalhealthireland.ie/careers/

27/01/2026

BVD Eradication is closer than ever - Let's Finish the Job!

As spring calving gets under way, Animal Health Ireland (AHI) is urging farmers and the wider agri-industry to work together to finish the job on Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD).

Thanks to the commitment of farmers over the past decade, infected breeding herds have fallen from over 11% at peak to just ~200 herds nationwide in 2025. That progress is huge - and it puts ireland within touching distance of BVD freedom.

But now, speed is critical.

AHI is encouraging immediate action through four simple but vital steps:

• Tag calves promptly at birth

• Bag the samples correctly

• Test as soon as possible

• Remove any virus positive calves immediately

Early Action protects individual herds, reduces onward spread and safeguard the wider cattle population.

Tag. Bag. Test. Remove. Let's finish the job - together!

26/01/2026

In conjunction with the 2026 Spring CalfCare Events, Animal Health Ireland is hosting a FREE live webinar for everyone involved in calf rearing.

📅 Wednesday, 28th January 2026
⏰ 1.00pm

Topics include:
• Managing the cow around calving
• Importance of colostrum and feeding
• Scour and pneumonia prevention

Plus, a panel discussion with leading calf rearing experts — practical insights you can use straight away.

Register for free: www.AnimalHealthIreland.ie/CalfCare

23/01/2026

Our spring CalfCare event series has now wrapped up, with great attendance and really strong engagement across all events 🙌

A huge thank you to all of our stakeholders for their support in delivering the series, and to Feed For Growth for their continued commitment to improving calf health outcomes and helping deliver key messages to farmers at ground level.

We’d also like to thank the host farmers who opened their farms and shared their experience, everyone who attended and took part in the discussions, those who provided refreshments, and all involved behind the scenes in making the events run so smoothly and successfully.

The CalfCare series once again showed the power of collaboration across the sector and a shared focus on driving practical, positive change on Irish farms.

To conclude the series, we will be hosting a free calf-rearing webinar on Wednesday, 28th January, at 1.00pm. Further details available at www.animalhealthireland.ie/calfcare

Photo Credits: Donal O'Leary; Clive Wasson; AHI

20/01/2026

Tomorrow's CalfCare event kicking off at 11am on Waterwheel farm, Kilgordon, Co. Donegal (F93 P657).

20/01/2026

A great CalfCare event on-farm today with Seamus Dolan in Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan.

Thanks to Seamus for hosting and to everyone who attended and took part in the
discussions.

We’re grateful to ABP Farming, Lakeland Dairies, ICBF, Feed for Growth and Teagasc for their support in delivering today’s event.

Next stop tomorrow is Patrick Kelly's farm in Kilgordon, Co. Donegal (F93 P657).

19/01/2026

FREE CalfCare Webinar - Register Now!

In conjunction with the 2026 Spring CalfCare events, AHI is hosting a free webinar on Wednesday, 28 January at 1:00pm, aimed at everyone involved in calf rearing in 2026.

Topics include:
• Managing cows before and around calving
• Best practice in colostrum and calf feeding
• Scour and pneumonia prevention

🎙 The webinar will feature a panel discussion with calf-rearing experts.

👉 Register now: www.calfcare.ie