Sources within the meat trade have said the number of cattle currently being deemed unfit for human consumption due to bovine TB is unsustainable and costing some individual businesses thousands of pounds each week.

It is understood a cohort of farmers with higher numbers of condemned animals have been warned they may have to present their cattle at “owner’s risk”.

Under that scenario, if their cattle are classed as not fit for the food chain in a post mortem examination, there will be no payment made.

Fee increase

The other option being considered is an increase to the £3/hd “insurance” fee currently levied by factories for prime cattle.

This fund has traditionally been used to cover unexpected costs where an animal passes vet checks in the lairage (is clinically healthy), but part or all of the carcase is subsequently condemned post-slaughter.

Lesions

Post mortem examination in local factories is undertaken by DAERA meat inspectors.

Under current rules, where TB lesions are found in two or more organs or regions, the entire carcase is considered unfit for the human food chain.

This same principle is used when assessing cattle that have been taken off farm by DAERA as a result of a positive TB test.

Rates of disease

The rates of bovine TB in cattle have been on a steady rise since 2020, with the annual herd incidence rate hitting a record high of 10.84% in May 2023. The latest figures to the end of March 2024 put the annual herd incidence at 10.1%, with 4,907 cattle removed off farm as reactors across the first three months of the year, up 9.5% on the equivalent period in 2023 and 41% ahead of the 2022 total.

Big increases have also been recorded in the number of cattle with TB-like lesions at slaughter which have subsequently been confirmed as reactors in lab analysis.

In 2019, there were 944 cattle confirmed as having TB, while in the 12 months to November 2023, this had increased to 1,667.

Cutbacks

On inquiry, the chief executive of the NI meat exporters association (NIMEA), Daryl McLaughlin confirmed that his members are seeing a similar percentage increase in the number of cattle being condemned due to TB as is happening in other analysis of TB data.

He believes that part of the reason why more TB cattle are being presented is due to DAERA budget cutbacks implemented in 2023.

“Some factories are seeing a threefold increase in TB condemnations. It is partly a result of the reduction in Lateral Check Tests and in gamma interferon (blood) testing on farms that has led to this increase in TB,” he said.

Addressing the Stormont Agriculture committee earlier in July, DAERA chief vet Brian Dooher acknowledged cutbacks “definitely haven’t helped our [TB] programme”

However, with less testing on farm, the indirect impact is that more of the cost of TB is being put on to industry, with DAERA under no obligation to cover the cost when cattle are condemned in meat plants post-slaughter.