Minister flags ‘concerning’ rise in bovine tuberculosis

Progress in the eradication of bovine tuberculosis (TB) has stalled as incidences of the disease have risen significantly with farmers reporting cases for the first time in 30 years.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said there had been a “very concerning” rise in case numbers every year between 2016 and 2020 but that everything is being done “to ensure we are taking a scientific approach with the objective of driving down TB numbers”.

The “reactor” numbers, animals that have tested positive for the disease, increased from 17,000 in 2019 to 22,562 last year and 14,901 up to the end of September this year.

Earlier this year the Minister launched a new bovine TB eradication strategy to run until 2030 – with oversight by a TB stakeholder forum and support from three new working groups – to deal with all areas of the strategy including science, implementation and finance.

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Mr McConalogue said there had been “positive indications of progress with the TB situation for 2021. These are likely to represent a necessary improvement compared with 2020.”

Once bovine TB is found in a herd no movement of animals is allowed in or out of it until there are two consecutive clear tests, which can take up to four months.

He was responding to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fáil Cork North-Central TD Pádraig O’Sullivan who said many farmers were reporting cases of the disease for the first time in 30 years.

Extra animals

The restrictions involved imposed “significant constraints” on farmers and how they did business. The Blarney-based TD said that many farmers did not have the space for extra animals, particularly new-born calves to be reared on farms during restrictions, when they can often be sold at seven weeks.

The Minister said the strategy “is not set in stone” but “is a living document which will be subject to amendment and refinement on an ongoing basis”.

Funding of €6 million for the eradication programme was provided in the budget and an additional €1 million has been sanctioned for the wildlife programme “which is an integral part of the overall programme”.

Mr McConalogue acknowledged that the disease “causes untold hardship for farming families” but he said his department “is committed to eradicating this disease”.