Plans for new disease surveillance facility
The Department of Agriculture are looking to build a new Transfer-to-Laboratory Centre (TLC) in Ballyhaise.
Plans for the development, to be located at Drumaraw, Carnoge, on lands adjacent to Ballyhaise Agricultural College, were submitted to the planning section of Cavan County Council last week.
The new Ballyhaise facility, a 340m2 industrial type unit with low pitch roof and metal clad sheeting finish, will support the State’s Animal Health functions and post-mortem and diagnostic services.
One of six regional hubs being established as part of plans approved by cabinet and included in the current programme for government, the development includes a concrete yard and access lane (2788m2) with one-way system to allow for the access of farm vehicles and a 20ft rigid type truck.
The management and day to day operations of the centre will be by the department.
Dead animal post-mortem and diagnostic services are currently provided from a network six Regional Veterinary Laboratories - Athlone, Kilkenny, Sligo, Cork, Limerick, and the Backweston Campus in Kildare.
A review of lab services had recommended a carcass collection service to provide greater ease of access for farmers in agricultural areas located some distance from an RVL. The TLC at Ballyhaise has been chosen to provide a collection service for carcasses and clinical material from farm animals for onward bulk delivery to the nearest RVL in either Athlone or Backweston.
In a statement attached to their application, due for decision in early July, the DAFM suggest that the “rapid diagnosis of a disease outbreak that can be provided by carcass post-mortem examination is essential in managing animal welfare and animal health and has been identified as a requirement to promote and support farming activity in this area.”
Once open, the Ballyhaise TLC will provide a collection facility for between five and 15 dead animal carcasses per day (Monday-Friday)- with maximum of 15 individual farm deliveries accessing the site in the busiest periods- and potentially one large delivery per day of 500-1000kg.
The DAFM suggest there are likely to be “seasonal variation in demand”, with Spring (March-May) expected to be the “busiest period” coinciding with calving and lambing seasons on farms.
The service will be available for pre-arranged and supervised carcass drop offs from 10am-12pm each day to allow adequate time for daily site cleaning and onward delivery.
No biological material will be held overnight at the Ballyhaise TLC, and DAFM assure there will be “minimal discharge” or waste from carcass deliveries.