New information on the TB history of a cattle herd could be displayed on mart noticeboards when animals enter the ring, under a planned revision of TB rules. It is just one of a number of proposals being floated by Department of Agriculture officials ahead of the TB Eradication Programme review announced last week by Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed.
New information on the TB history of a cattle herd could be displayed on mart noticeboards when animals enter the ring, under a planned revision of TB rules.
It is just one of a number of proposals being floated by Department of Agriculture officials ahead of the TB Eradication Programme review announced last week by Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed.
Mart display boards would identify when the seller’s herd last had a TB breakdown, if ever. The aim would be to give greater protection to the 97% of herds which are free of the disease.
Statistics show that a herd which had an outbreak remains at greater risk of a subsequent outbreak.
However, the rule would disadvantage herds with a history of TB and would be strongly resisted by marts, which say there are already too many restrictions on sale of livestock.
In Northern Ireland, a similar proposal was made by a group tasked with developing a new TB strategy.
The proposal, called “informed purchasing in marts”, is one of a number currently under public consultation.
In the Republic, the Department will soon consult with farm organisations, marts and other stakeholders on its plans.
Last week, IFA animal health chair Pat Farrell said some restrictions which are no longer required should be eased for farmers. These include the four-month lock-up after a TB lesion is found at a slaughter plant. In 84% of such cases, no reactors are found in subsequent herd testing.
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