There has been another increase in the number of cattle going down with TB in the Department of Agriculture’s quarterly reporting on the disease.Some 32,677 reactors were identified in TB tests in the 12 months up to the end of June 2024.
There has been another increase in the number of cattle going down with TB in the Department of Agriculture’s quarterly reporting on the disease.
Some 32,677 reactors were identified in TB tests in the 12 months up to the end of June 2024.
This is an increase of over 7,000-head or 28% increase on the same figure a year previous and a hike of around 12,500 reactors on the equivalent metric in June 2022.
TB’s 12-month herd incidence stood at 5.17% going into July having broke the 5% mark for the first time in a decade around April. This means that 5.17% of all herds tested for TB in the past 12 months experienced a new breakdown.
A total of 5,280 herds were restricted in the year up to June, a rise on the 4,790 herds which had been restricted over the previous 12-month window.
Costs rising
Spending on the TB eradication programme also continues to rise as more funding is needed to cover cattle valuations with the rising trend in reactor numbers.
Overall direct spending on the programme was €40.8m in the first six months of this year, up from €33.1m for the same period last year.
Some €21.4m of this funding went to the On Farm Market Valuation scheme, €4.3m to farmer compensation and €5.5m on wildlife elements of TB control.
Vet fees were responsible for around one in every seven six spent by the Department on TB.
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