Connacht is the most expensive province for TB testing in the country, according to a recent Irish Farmers Journal input price survey. The survey was completed by beef farmers across the country. TB testing charges are generally broken up into a callout fee and a per-head charge.
Connacht is the most expensive province for TB testing in the country, according to a recent Irish Farmers Journal input price survey.
The survey was completed by beef farmers across the country. TB testing charges are generally broken up into a callout fee and a per-head charge.
The average call-out charge in Connacht was €87 (two call outs) compared to the cheapest province, Leinster, which had an average charge of €68.
There is also a huge gap in animal testing charges, the survey of 125 farmers revealed.
The cheapest TB test is in Leinster at €4.17/head, while the most expensive is in Munster at €5/head.
A huge range of between €3/head and €7/head also exists depending on what county you live in.
TB testing is big business for vets with Irish vets receiving €35.2m in farmer and Department of Agriculture payments for TB testing from January to August 2024, with farmers stumping up almost 75% of this figure or €26.2m.
The total cost of the Department of Agriculture TB eradication programme stood at €54.8m from January to August 2024 against the backdrop of TB reactor numbers being up 70% in the last two years.
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