The majority of farmers are in favour of a tougher approach to combatting rising levels of bovine TB, the results of the latest Irish Farmers Journal reader survey show.

Just under three-quarters of 885 farmers agreed that tougher action is needed to curb the current trend of increasing TB levels.

Some 76% of cattle finishers agreed that tougher action is needed, followed by 74% of dairy farmers.

Across the livestock sectors, suckler farmers were least likely to agree with a tougher approach to tackling TB, but 68% still reported support for a stronger stance on disease controls.

Seven in 10 farmers surveyed who are located in Connacht – whose counties generally have a lower TB herd incidence to other regions of the country – backed stricter TB control measures, the lowest of any province.

Reactors

Farmers from Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan were the most likely to back them, with support at 78%.

This was followed by Leinster and Munster at respective levels of support of 75% and 72%.

The survey results come as Department of Agriculture TB figures show there were 40,805 reactors identified in the 12 months up to 8 December 2024.

Some 6,069 herds were restricted, and just below 6% of all cattle herds previously TB-free went down over the same one-year window.