Back in the early 2010s MLAs on the Stormont Agriculture Committee effectively blocked proposals to mimic the English approach of using a tabular system to value TB reactor animals.

The proposals were also opposed by farming organisations, who argued that table values are unfair to those who specialise in higher conformation quality cattle. There was also the argument put forward that Government must first take action to deal with TB in wildlife before considering any cuts to the amount paid out for reactor cattle.

However, the recent review into TB undertaken by Brian Dooher has put the principle of using table values firmly back onto the agenda, with the DAERA chief vet describing the system as a potential option that should be “given immediate consideration”. His review points to a “widely held perception” that DAERA currently values reactor animals in excess of market value.

England

A table-based system to value TB (and other diseases) reactor cattle was introduced in England from 1 February 2006. Initially, it was vigorously opposed by farming organisations, with a legal challenge taken by Devon farmer David Partridge in 2008, backed by the National Farmers’ Union.

Partridge argued that the system discriminated against owners of high-value cattle. While the High Court ruled in his favour, the case was taken to the Court of Appeal, which decided there was no discrimination in Defra’s approach. Table values have been used in England since then.

Market data

The English model uses data taken from markets, with sales information for around 1.4m cattle collected each year. For non-pedigree cattle, one month’s sales data is used, so for table valuations in January 2025, it is data taken from markets between 20 November 2024 and 20 December 2024.

For pedigree animals, six months of data is used to ensure that the system includes key sale periods in either the spring or autumn. As a result, January 2025 valuations use sales taken between 21 June 2023 and 20 December 2024.

The latest table values have been published by Defra for cattle that are compulsorily slaughtered off farms in England due to disease during January 2025. There are 51 different categories of stock listed across beef and dairy, as well as for non-pedigree and pedigree cattle. In the non-pedigree section, steers over 20 months are valued at £1,626 and heifers of the same age at £1,497. Suckler cows are valued at £1,293.

Farmers with pedigree beef bulls aged between 12 and 24 months are paid £5,378 per head, while beef bulls over 24 months are valued at £2,227.

A pedigree beef heifer over 24 months is valued at £2,430, with a pedigree beef cow aged over three years at £2,083.

In the non-pedigree dairy sector, the highest value per head of £1,713 is given to a cow aged between 20 and 84 months. Older cows are at £1,154, a pedigree dairy heifer aged over 18 months is valued at £1,410, while a pedigree dairy cow aged up to 36 months is at £2,170. That value drops to £1,953 for cows up to 84 months and is £1,355 thereafter.