The review into bovine TB by DAERA chief vet, Brian Dooher runs to over 70 pages and contains nearly 40 proposals across three main pillars of ‘people’, ‘cattle’ and ‘wildlife’.
The context of the report is the “deteriorating” disease situation, with significant increases seen in TB over the last five years and reactor numbers at record levels.
In some herds, large number of reactors are being found at tests and that is reflected in the individual animal incidence figure, which has spiked over the last 12 months to now stand at 1.16%.
Annual herd incidence in October 2024 stood at 10.41%. However, this is a measure of new reactor herds out of all herds tested, so is not all herds under restriction.
Currently, around 12% of NI herds are closed due to TB and these herds constitute 24% of all cattle, so breakdowns are skewed towards larger herds.
TB also disproportionately impacts dairy enterprises, with just 31 dairy herds producing 14% of all TB reactors in 2023, notes the Dooher review.
To change the culture around TB and ensure it is not just seen as a “government problem”, Dooher has proposed a new TB eradication partnership is formed, involving representatives from farming, food processing, retail, veterinary, government and auctioneers.
“This is a new and radical form of TB governance for NI and will be a unique coalition in terms of managing TB,” states Dooher.
He has also proposed new CVO-led groups, across both the island of Ireland and with counterparts in Britain, to share knowledge and information.
To help inform farmers around the importance of disease control and farm biosecurity, training programmes should also be developed, along with a new “vigorous” communications plan to highlight key features of the disease.
Management of cattle herds infected with TB
The second part of the Dooher review looks at management of TB in cattle herds, particularly those already infected with the disease.
A key issue highlighted is the limitation of the current skin test, which is known to leave behind some TB-infected cattle, ultimately resulting in “residual infection” in herds.
To reduce the risks, Dooher proposes tightening rules around what constitutes a TB-suspended (OTS) herd. At present a herd with one reactor, that is not confirmed at post-mortem or in a lab, is classed as OTS and is free to move cattle after one subsequent clear test. In future, any herd with a reactor would be classified as TB free status withdrawn (OTW) and need two clear tests to regain disease-free status.
He is also keen to tighten rules on inconclusive (IC) animals, with analysis of data showing an IC is 100 times more likely to have lesions at slaughter than non-IC cattle. In future, Dooher proposes that IC cattle will not be allowed to leave the herd, except to slaughter and will be subjected to an interferon-gamma (blood) test two weeks after initial disclosure.
Purchasing
Where a breakdown occurs, his report refers to the need to strike a “balance” between allowing the farm to restock to maintain business viability and protecting bought-in animals from TB.
He points out that in the past two years, 2,342 cattle moved into herds during the course of a breakdown have been subsequently compulsorily slaughtered due to TB, at a significant cost to the public purse.
To reduce the risk, Dooher proposes that cattle moved in to a breakdown herd are paid reduced compensation if they present as reactors. And where farmers contravene notices around the purchase of animals, compensation “should be further reduced” if bought-in cattle have to be slaughtered due to TB.
Chronic herds
There are also “chronic” herds with repeated TB breakdowns, where infection is mainly spread from cattle-to-cattle. Dooher proposes a “chronic herd taskforce” is established that will deploy enhanced control measures in these herds. That could result in tighter biosecurity, longer periods of movement restrictions, more testing to establish freedom from TB and the use of different TB tests.
Protect clear herds
The Dooher review refers on a number of occasions to the need to protect nearly 90% of herds that are TB free. Measures proposed include:
Extending the restricted period for infected herds, especially those with a severe breakdown, until a clear six-month check herd test is completed. High-risk cohorts in a severe breakdown could be restricted for years (or for life).Risk-based trading, with information available to buyers on how long a herd has been TB-free. Pre-movement testing for all cattle moves (unless the animal has been tested in the last 30 days).The potential to introduce post-movement testing where cattle are moved from a high-risk to a low-risk herd.If tighter movement restrictions are put in place on breakdown herds, it further increases the need to allow cattle to move from these farms to alternative control herds (ACHs) where they can be finished indoors.
“I would propose that the Department work with industry to facilitate the establishment of ACHs,” states the Dooher review.
Biosecurity
He is also keen to see improved biosecurity on farms and floats the idea of linking it to compensation paid for reactor animals
Wildlife and bovine TB
In his review, Dooher is clear that badgers are an important reservoir of TB and can “seed” the infection into cattle herds.
He quoted research from England which showed that badgers were directly responsible for 6% of herd breakdowns, but when onward cattle-to-cattle transmission was taken into account, the overall contribution is close to 50% of all breakdowns.
While badger vaccination is the long-term aim, over 20% of badgers in NI are infected with TB, so there is a need for population control to reduce the number of diseased badgers, notes the Dooher review.
Cattle vaccination
However, in the short- to medium-term, vaccinating cattle against TB is not an option, despite progress being made in England on a suitable test that can differentiate between vaccinated cattle and those that have the disease.
“It’s a number of years away yet. We need to advance – we can’t wait for that as the solution,” Dooher told the Stormont Agriculture committee last Thursday.
Changes proposed
for reactor payments
As well as the potential to reduce compensation paid for cattle moved into breakdown herds, which then come up as TB reactors, Dooher proposes that other options should be considered including the use of tabular values and a cap on the value paid out per head.
He also proposes that if farmers want to claim a premium in compensation for pregnancy, they should be asked to produce evidence of the pregnancy status of the animal.
The review into bovine TB by DAERA chief vet, Brian Dooher runs to over 70 pages and contains nearly 40 proposals across three main pillars of ‘people’, ‘cattle’ and ‘wildlife’.
The context of the report is the “deteriorating” disease situation, with significant increases seen in TB over the last five years and reactor numbers at record levels.
In some herds, large number of reactors are being found at tests and that is reflected in the individual animal incidence figure, which has spiked over the last 12 months to now stand at 1.16%.
Annual herd incidence in October 2024 stood at 10.41%. However, this is a measure of new reactor herds out of all herds tested, so is not all herds under restriction.
Currently, around 12% of NI herds are closed due to TB and these herds constitute 24% of all cattle, so breakdowns are skewed towards larger herds.
TB also disproportionately impacts dairy enterprises, with just 31 dairy herds producing 14% of all TB reactors in 2023, notes the Dooher review.
To change the culture around TB and ensure it is not just seen as a “government problem”, Dooher has proposed a new TB eradication partnership is formed, involving representatives from farming, food processing, retail, veterinary, government and auctioneers.
“This is a new and radical form of TB governance for NI and will be a unique coalition in terms of managing TB,” states Dooher.
He has also proposed new CVO-led groups, across both the island of Ireland and with counterparts in Britain, to share knowledge and information.
To help inform farmers around the importance of disease control and farm biosecurity, training programmes should also be developed, along with a new “vigorous” communications plan to highlight key features of the disease.
Management of cattle herds infected with TB
The second part of the Dooher review looks at management of TB in cattle herds, particularly those already infected with the disease.
A key issue highlighted is the limitation of the current skin test, which is known to leave behind some TB-infected cattle, ultimately resulting in “residual infection” in herds.
To reduce the risks, Dooher proposes tightening rules around what constitutes a TB-suspended (OTS) herd. At present a herd with one reactor, that is not confirmed at post-mortem or in a lab, is classed as OTS and is free to move cattle after one subsequent clear test. In future, any herd with a reactor would be classified as TB free status withdrawn (OTW) and need two clear tests to regain disease-free status.
He is also keen to tighten rules on inconclusive (IC) animals, with analysis of data showing an IC is 100 times more likely to have lesions at slaughter than non-IC cattle. In future, Dooher proposes that IC cattle will not be allowed to leave the herd, except to slaughter and will be subjected to an interferon-gamma (blood) test two weeks after initial disclosure.
Purchasing
Where a breakdown occurs, his report refers to the need to strike a “balance” between allowing the farm to restock to maintain business viability and protecting bought-in animals from TB.
He points out that in the past two years, 2,342 cattle moved into herds during the course of a breakdown have been subsequently compulsorily slaughtered due to TB, at a significant cost to the public purse.
To reduce the risk, Dooher proposes that cattle moved in to a breakdown herd are paid reduced compensation if they present as reactors. And where farmers contravene notices around the purchase of animals, compensation “should be further reduced” if bought-in cattle have to be slaughtered due to TB.
Chronic herds
There are also “chronic” herds with repeated TB breakdowns, where infection is mainly spread from cattle-to-cattle. Dooher proposes a “chronic herd taskforce” is established that will deploy enhanced control measures in these herds. That could result in tighter biosecurity, longer periods of movement restrictions, more testing to establish freedom from TB and the use of different TB tests.
Protect clear herds
The Dooher review refers on a number of occasions to the need to protect nearly 90% of herds that are TB free. Measures proposed include:
Extending the restricted period for infected herds, especially those with a severe breakdown, until a clear six-month check herd test is completed. High-risk cohorts in a severe breakdown could be restricted for years (or for life).Risk-based trading, with information available to buyers on how long a herd has been TB-free. Pre-movement testing for all cattle moves (unless the animal has been tested in the last 30 days).The potential to introduce post-movement testing where cattle are moved from a high-risk to a low-risk herd.If tighter movement restrictions are put in place on breakdown herds, it further increases the need to allow cattle to move from these farms to alternative control herds (ACHs) where they can be finished indoors.
“I would propose that the Department work with industry to facilitate the establishment of ACHs,” states the Dooher review.
Biosecurity
He is also keen to see improved biosecurity on farms and floats the idea of linking it to compensation paid for reactor animals
Wildlife and bovine TB
In his review, Dooher is clear that badgers are an important reservoir of TB and can “seed” the infection into cattle herds.
He quoted research from England which showed that badgers were directly responsible for 6% of herd breakdowns, but when onward cattle-to-cattle transmission was taken into account, the overall contribution is close to 50% of all breakdowns.
While badger vaccination is the long-term aim, over 20% of badgers in NI are infected with TB, so there is a need for population control to reduce the number of diseased badgers, notes the Dooher review.
Cattle vaccination
However, in the short- to medium-term, vaccinating cattle against TB is not an option, despite progress being made in England on a suitable test that can differentiate between vaccinated cattle and those that have the disease.
“It’s a number of years away yet. We need to advance – we can’t wait for that as the solution,” Dooher told the Stormont Agriculture committee last Thursday.
Changes proposed
for reactor payments
As well as the potential to reduce compensation paid for cattle moved into breakdown herds, which then come up as TB reactors, Dooher proposes that other options should be considered including the use of tabular values and a cap on the value paid out per head.
He also proposes that if farmers want to claim a premium in compensation for pregnancy, they should be asked to produce evidence of the pregnancy status of the animal.
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