After falling throughout 2019, bovine TB rates in Northern Ireland have levelled out and remain well ahead of the levels seen in the Republic of Ireland.

The latest figures show herd incidence was 7.79% in May 2020.

This means that of the 21,905 herds tested during the previous 12 months, 1,706 went down with TB.

May’s herd incidence rate is similar to previous months and is down from 8.47% recorded during the same month last year.

In the first five months of the year, there were 4,926 reactor animals identified across Northern Ireland, down 10.3% on the same period in 2019.

Across Northern Ireland’s 10 divisional veterinary office (DVO) areas, Newtownards has the highest incidence rate of 10.92% and the lowest rate is Derry’s 4.04%.