News - Minister Coveney launches CellCheck Farm Guidelines for Mastitis Control

Joe O'Flaherty - CEO, Animal Health Ireland; Finola McCoy - Programme Manager, CellCheck; Simon Coveny T.D. Minister For Agriculture, 
Food and the Marine;Mike Magan, - Chairman, Animal Health Ireland; Bruce Davis - Australian Ambassador to Ireland; Adrian Taheny - FBD.

Simon Coveney, T.D., Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, launched the new CellCheck publication in Buswells Hotel today.   The CellCheck Farm Guidelines are a practical manual for effective mastitis control based on the latest science and best practice. Divided into five stages of the cow’s lactation cycle, it explains the challenges at each stage and provides simple recommendations for controlling mastitis through improved farm management practices. The Guidelines are the cornerstone of the CellCheck programme, supporting service-provider and farmer training, which commences in earnest this year.

Minister Coveney said “this programme is a tangible way for farmers to both increase on- farm profits and further enhance the reputation of the industry by increasing their focus on issues like  somatic  cell  counts  and  mastitis  control  within  the  national  dairy  herd.  The  Cell  Check Programme is an excellent tool to facilitate that”.

Mike Magan, Chairman of AHI and of the CellCheck Industry Consultation Group said he was “delighted to be launching the CellCheck Farm Guidelines today as they are a fine example of  what industry stakeholders can achieve when they work together for the common good”.  “The personal endorsements, from all of the industry bodies of the CellCheck programme demonstrate their full support for the development of this initiative”.  “I am also grateful to the FBD Trust for their financial support of the CellCheck Farm Guidelines” concluded Mr. Magan.

Finola McCoy of Teagasc, and Programme Manager for CellCheck said “the Farm Guidelines provide clear, consistent and independent information for farmers and service providers. This publication wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work and commitment of the Technical Working Group,  the  Industry  Consultation Group and the  wider  industry.  This  book  will  be  an essential  building  block  of  the  CellCheck  programme,  as  we  continue  to  work  together  and strengthen our capacity to achieve optimal udder health” stated Ms. McCoy.

The CellCheck Farm Guidelines are available at a RRP of €15.00 from dairy co-ops, from AHI (at www.cellcheck.ie or by phoning 071 9671928) and from participating service providers.

ENDS

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