The number of new bovine TB reactor herds found in NI across the first two months of 2026 is down by 15% on the same period in 2025.
Across the first two months of 2026 there has been a total of 324 new TB reactor herds, compared to 380 herds in January and February of last year.
As a result, the annual TB herd incidence rate continues to fall, with the rate at 9.66%, which is its lowest level since 2022.
The highest incidence rate is in the area covered by Newtownards Divisional Veterinary Office (DVO), where the annual figure sits at 14.52%. Mallusk DVO area is the lowest, at 6.21%.
While fewer new herds are seeing TB reactors at present, there is still a large number of reactors being found at tests in breakdown herds.
In total, 3,336 TB cattle were removed off all NI farms in the first two months of 2026, which is virtually identical to the equivalent figure from 2025.
There also continues to be a high number of cattle culturing positive to TB after showing TB-like lesions at slaughter plants in NI.
Over the 12 months to October 2025, there were 2,438 TB positive cattle found at slaughter, which is more than double what was seen back in 2020 and 2021.
According to representatives from the NI Meat Exporters Association (NIMEA) that equates to over £1m worth of cattle per year which often end up in a skip for disposal.
“That isn’t counting disposal costs, loss of throughput, time, etc, and the impact on the farmer as well. It is costing the industry a lot of money and it’s not sustainable and it’s never sustainable from an environmental perspective as well,” said NIMEA CEO Daryl McLaughlin during a briefing of MLAs on the Stormont Agriculture committee at the end of March.
The NIMEA chief called for more action to tackle the disease to include the “immediate implementation” of EU Animal Health Law and in particular, pre and post movement testing of cattle.
NIMEA also want to see additional use of the interferon gamma (blood) test and specialised finishing units in place for bovine TB animals.
SHARING OPTIONS