{"id":1333822,"date":"2024-06-20T15:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-20T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.agriland.ie\/?p=1333822"},"modified":"2024-06-20T14:42:58","modified_gmt":"2024-06-20T13:42:58","slug":"expansion-of-dairy-herd-has-had-an-impact-on-tb-levels-minister","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/farming-news\/expansion-of-dairy-herd-has-had-an-impact-on-tb-levels-minister\/","title":{"rendered":"Expansion of dairy herd has ‘had an impact’ on TB levels – minister"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The expansion of the dairy herd in Ireland since 2015 has had an “impact on increasing TB levels” according to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minister Charlie McConalogue has also highlighted that “larger herds, fragmented farms, and herds that buy in cattle are all more at risk” of a bovine tuberculosis (bTB) breakdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response to a parliamentary question raised by the Fine Gael TD for Kildare North, Bernard Durkan, the minister outlined that there are three main sources of infection for cattle in this country – “the purchase of infected cattle, the presence of residual (undetected) infection within cattle herds and spread from wildlife (badgers predominately)”.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The relative importance of these factors vary from herd to herd and all three need to be addressed to protect livestock and eradicate TB,” he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minister McConalogue also underlined to Deputy Durkan that bovine TB is a “challenging disease to control and eradicate”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“I am acutely aware of the financial and emotional trauma associated with a TB breakdown.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

“It causes significant hardship for farmers and\u00a0farming families, and I am fully committed to the objectives of the Bovine TB Eradication Strategy which aims to reduce and ultimately eradicate this disease in Ireland,” he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TB<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)<\/a> show that at the beginning of June 2024 on a 12-month rolling basis, herd incidence had increased to 5.09% <\/strong>compared to 4.56% at the same time last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minister McConalogue told Deputy Durkan, that “in the past 12 months 5,215 herds were restricted, compared to 4,731 in the previous 12-month period”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This represented an increase of 484 herds TB restricted (10.23%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also highlighted that while the spread of the disease is “multifactorial, it is being fought on many fronts”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The minister detailed that each TB outbreak is investigated by a veterinary inspector to identify the source of infection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“In the case of every outbreak involving three or more standard reactors, there is a veterinary visit to advise the herdowner on how to eliminate infection and measures necessary\u00a0to help reduce the risk of recurrence.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

“Emphasis is placed on the biosecurity measures a farmer can take to reduce risks on their farm, and when buying in animals,” he added.<\/p>\n\n\n