The latest bovine TB statistics published by DARD show that there has been a gradual increase in disease levels in 2015.To the end of August 2015, a total of 6,729 reactor animals have been removed from farms, compared with 8,838 for the whole of 2014. In August 2015, there were 834 reactor animals discovered at TB tests, compared with 687 for the same month in 2014. It all equates to a herd incidence (number of new herd breakdowns as a percentage of all herds tested) over the last 12 months of 6.88%, compared with 6.02% over the previous 12-month period.
The latest bovine TB statistics published by DARD show that there has been a gradual increase in disease levels in 2015.
To the end of August 2015, a total of 6,729 reactor animals have been removed from farms, compared with 8,838 for the whole of 2014. In August 2015, there were 834 reactor animals discovered at TB tests, compared with 687 for the same month in 2014. It all equates to a herd incidence (number of new herd breakdowns as a percentage of all herds tested) over the last 12 months of 6.88%, compared with 6.02% over the previous 12-month period.
That follows through into 8.5% of herds being under a TB restriction in August 2015, compared with 7.7% of herds in August 2014.
While the figures have been on the rise this year, with the disease most prevalent in areas covered by Coleraine, Newtownards and Omagh veterinary offices, the rates are still behind those seen at the last spike in 2012 when herd incidence hit 7.34%. They are also significantly behind the rates seen in 2003 and 2004 when the disease peaked at over 2,000 reactors per month.
While the disease tends to be cyclical, it is hoped that the latest upward trend will soon start to level off, which would follow the pattern of recent years.
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