An ICMSA survey has exposed the sharp divide in farmer opinions regarding suggestions of tighter cattle movement restrictions to address the spread of TB.

The recent survey asked 550 ICMSA members if they would support increased movement restrictions to tackle TB.

While 54% of respondents said they would either “definitely” or “probably” support tighter movement restrictions, 46% of those surveyed indicated that they “definitely” or “probably” would not support such a move.

In contrast to the divergent opinions on increased movement restrictions for farmers, respondents to the survey overwhelmingly supported stricter rules around cattle movements for dealers.

Just over 80% of respondents agreed that the rules should be tightened in relation to dealers and cattle movements.

Staying with TB, three-quarters of the ICMSA members surveyed agreed with the suggestion that TB tests should only be valid for two cattle movements, and that an animal should require another TB test before a further movement could take place.

The pressure has been building on the Department of Agriculture to take radical action on TB and halt the current surge in reactor numbers.

It has been suggested by the Department that reactor numbers this year could exceed 65,000hd.

Recent figures from the Department showed that 41,000 reactors had been identified over the preceding 12 months, close to 6,100 herds were locked up, and the herd incidence rate had topped 6%.

Ahead of a meeting of the TB Forum this week, stakeholders were asked by the Department to set out their views on how the spread of the disease should be tackled.

A major clampdown on the sale of cows from herds which had TB was floated by the Department in recent months but it is unclear whether this plant will be enforced.

The radical proposals would result in severe restrictions being imposed on the movement of cows from herds which had multiple reactors. The restrictions would remain in place for three years after the herd’s first clear TB test.

It was suggested that the stricter rules would apply to herds of at least 50 cows. The restrictions would be triggered where 5% or more of a herd’s cows - or at least 10 cows in larger units – were TB reactors.