Consistent, targeted measures on a regional basis were key to New Zealand getting the numbers of herds infected with TB down from 1,700 in 1994 to 16 by today, the Nuffield Ireland conference heard on Friday last.
Returning scholar, John Keane told those gathered at the event in Horse and Jockey, Co Tipperary, that speaking to farmers in New Zealand about their experience of trying to eradicate both TB and mycoplasma bovis was the same the country over.
“I could have met one farmer and that would have been enough because every single farmer I spoke to repeated back the same process.
“Their experience was the same, they went through the same process in reactors, monitoring and they exited at the same time.
“The process was consistent and they could rely on the programme to achieve its targets.”
This was in contrast to Ireland where, Keane said: “If you met 15 farmers, you might get 10 different variations of their experience of the eradication programme.”
He said a regional approach could be used in Ireland and used Co Donegal as an example. He said some areas like the Finn Valley could have a herd incidence of 8% to 12% while the rest of the county is 3% or 4%.
“Could you stand there and look at an implementation plan and say the same measures are going to be effective across the entire jurisdiction and we’re going to get the same results? The regional piece is about targeted measures that are going to affect the targeted area.”
He acknowledged this will take more resources, more investment and better management, but if the combination of the full suite of measures in specific areas is consistently implemented it should yield results.
Referring to the new 30-point Irish TB plan that was released in early September he said the plan has no target and the 2021 strategy had no target.
“How can you keep accountability and keep progress measured against something if you don’t have targets in place to meet them.
“Imposition of measures without yielding results or without targets isn’t going to create farmer buy-in.”
John Keane. \ Philip Doyle
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Consistent, targeted measures on a regional basis were key to New Zealand getting the numbers of herds infected with TB down from 1,700 in 1994 to 16 by today, the Nuffield Ireland conference heard on Friday last.
Returning scholar, John Keane told those gathered at the event in Horse and Jockey, Co Tipperary, that speaking to farmers in New Zealand about their experience of trying to eradicate both TB and mycoplasma bovis was the same the country over.
“I could have met one farmer and that would have been enough because every single farmer I spoke to repeated back the same process.
“Their experience was the same, they went through the same process in reactors, monitoring and they exited at the same time.
“The process was consistent and they could rely on the programme to achieve its targets.”
This was in contrast to Ireland where, Keane said: “If you met 15 farmers, you might get 10 different variations of their experience of the eradication programme.”
He said a regional approach could be used in Ireland and used Co Donegal as an example. He said some areas like the Finn Valley could have a herd incidence of 8% to 12% while the rest of the county is 3% or 4%.
“Could you stand there and look at an implementation plan and say the same measures are going to be effective across the entire jurisdiction and we’re going to get the same results? The regional piece is about targeted measures that are going to affect the targeted area.”
He acknowledged this will take more resources, more investment and better management, but if the combination of the full suite of measures in specific areas is consistently implemented it should yield results.
Referring to the new 30-point Irish TB plan that was released in early September he said the plan has no target and the 2021 strategy had no target.
“How can you keep accountability and keep progress measured against something if you don’t have targets in place to meet them.
“Imposition of measures without yielding results or without targets isn’t going to create farmer buy-in.”
John Keane. \ Philip Doyle
Read more
EPA boss Burke to speak at Nuffield Ireland conference
Farm-specific engagement required to reduce anthelmintic resistance
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