Some 337 feedlot herds are restricted with TB, according to the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed.The information came to light in response to a parliamentary question posed by Sinn Féin spokesperson for agriculture Michael Kenny.
Some 337 feedlot herds are restricted with TB, according to the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed.
The information came to light in response to a parliamentary question posed by Sinn Féin spokesperson for agriculture Michael Kenny.
When a feedlot herd is restricted under TB regulations, “a special official supervisory and testing protocol is established,” Minister Creed said.
Restricted feedlots are TB tested at least once a year
“Such herds are not exempted from testing, reactor removal or disinfection requirements.
“Restricted feedlots are TB tested at least once a year,” Minister Creed said.
In regard to the TB programme, Minister Creed outlined that a feedlot was defined as being a non-breeding unit which disposed of animals directly for slaughter.
They must fulfil at least one of the following criteria:
The cattle are permanently housed (never on pasture); orThere are no contiguous holdings/lands with cattle, ie must not have any neighbour contacts either through cattle being confined exclusively in yards/building or if intending to graze cattle the land is secured so there can be no contact with cattle, eg surrounded by tillage, residential industrial/recreational units or impenetrable rivers, roads or walls; orThe boundaries are walled, double fenced or equivalent so as to prevent any direct contact with cattle on contiguous lands/premises/holdings.Minister Creed said that this meant that there was little chance of infection spreading to other farms given the isolation protocol.
If a feedlot was restricted with TB, it had a number of strict conditions that applied.
These included:
The land used to graze animals must be nominated in advance and inspected and passed by a veterinary inspector.A feedlot, being a TB-restricted herd, is not permitted to sell cattle on the open market other than directly to slaughter.Feedlot herds that fatten females must have the capability of rearing any unplanned calves until slaughtered or the herd has been de-restricted.If animals are being put on grass, the herd must be tested before being let out.Animal identification and movement notification procedures must be complied with.All testing requirements must be complied with.If TB is diagnosed but following an epidemiological inspection there is no evidence of within-herd spread, the feedlot may continue to buy in.When TB is diagnosed, specific conditions with respect to disinfection of premises and equipment and also storage and spreading of manure/slurry must be respected.Any manure and slurry on the holding must be stored for at least two months prior to being moved off or spread on the holding.Manure/slurry may not be spread on ground to be grazed within the succeeding four weeks.Test reactor animals are removed for slaughter under permit.Inconclusive reactor animals that are being slaughtered before re-test must be moved to slaughter on foot of a movement permit to ensure they are subject to appropriate post mortem examination.If it is ascertained that infection was acquired within the holding, permission to buy in is suspended. The herd is only de-restricted and allowed to buy in again if all the animals are free from clinical signs of tuberculosis, cleansing and disinfection of the premises and utensils has been completed and all animals on the holding have reacted negatively to at least two consecutive tuberculin tests, the first no less than 60 days and the second no less than four months and no more than 12 months after the removal of the last positive reactor. The herd may apply for feedlot status again should the need arise. Read more
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