Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the steps that were taken by his Department following the diagnosis of the first cases of bovine neonatal pancytopaenia in County Cork on 13 April 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16909/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Veterinary Laboratory Service of my Department diagnosed the first cases of Bovine Neonatal Pancytopaenia (BNP) in Ireland on 13 April. The cases involved two, two week old calves from the same farm in Cork which were submitted to the Regional Laboratory in Cork. BNP is a disease of calves less than one month of age which is variously referred to as "Calf Haemorrhagic Disease", "Haemorrhagic Diathesis" or "Blood Sweating Disease". No successful treatment has been identified to date. Cases were first identified in Germany in 2007 and have steadily risen in a number of European countries since then, with four cases confirmed in Northern Ireland.

There is no evidence that the condition is infectious or that it gives rise to food safety concerns. My Department's Regional Veterinary Laboratories are available to assist herdowners and veterinary practitioners with laboratory diagnosis and investigation of any suspicious cases as well as providing a free post mortem service for all calves which are considered suspects for this condition. Information on the condition is available on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/