Farmer concerns that the TB test data of animals is not being displayed in some marts will be addressed during the summer.

The vast majority of marts will be capable of displaying the TB test status of animals going through sales rings by the end of July, a Department of Agriculture official has confirmed to stakeholders at the TB forum.

The issue was raised at a recent meeting of the communication committee of the TB forum, with some participants expressing unease that a number of marts were not displaying the TB herd test data of animals going through sales rings.

However, in an email sent to stakeholders following the meeting, a Department official insisted the technology to display the TB test data was in place in most marts or was in the process of being commissioned.

The Department official stated that the two main providers of computer technology to the marts, Newline and Infoscience, had been contacted and both confirmed the necessary technology was already operational or was in the process of being commissioned.

Test data

The Department communication claimed that marts with Newline technology had been updated and that they all were capable of showing the TB herd test data.

The Department maintained that close to two-thirds of marts with Infoscience technology had the capability to display the TB test data.

The remainder will have the ability to display the test data by the end of June or mid-July at the latest, the Department email stated.

Marts are supposed to display the last TB test date of both the animal being sold and the herd from which it came.