The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) has called on agriculture minister, Charlie McConalogue to reaffirm his commitment to eradicating bovine tuberculosis (TB) in light of concerns that the TB Eradication Programme is underfunded and understaffed.
ICSA Animal Health and Welfare chair, John Barron said: “Department of Agriculture officials today raised concerns about their ability to fully implement the TB Eradication Programme due to shortages in both financial and human resources.
“This is simply unacceptable, especially as the number of reactors and the hardship caused by TB breakdowns continue to increase.”
Barron was speaking following a meeting of the TB Forum’s Implementation Working Group, which was held online yesterday, September 3.
“ICSA has repeatedly highlighted the ongoing recruitment and staffing issues that have been plaguing the Wildlife Control Programme in relation to TB,” Barron continued.
“The shortage of personnel has long been a serious issue nationwide, with fewer and fewer people available to carry out the important work of the programme amid rising cases of TB.
“Staff shortages also impact how swiftly reactors can be removed following a breakdown. However, instead of recruiting more staff, a moratorium on hiring new personnel has been put in place, meaning these issues will simply persist,” he added.
The ICSA has said it is crucial that all aspects of the eradication programme for the disease work together to achieve the best results.
“Having an eradication programme is pointless if critical components, like the Wildlife Control Programme, are not operating at full capacity,” Barron continued.
“TB breakdowns have a significant impact on the financial stability of farms and the mental health of farm families.
“Farmers are doing their part, but the department [of agriculture] must step up and fulfil its commitment to addressing the wildlife-related aspects of TB as well as removing reactors in a timely manner.”
The farm organisation has now urged Minister McConalogue to engage directly with the TB Forum and commit to providing the necessary resources and manpower to ensure the eradication programme can be fully operational going forward.
Previously, the ICSA had said that while the department has reduced culling badgers in favour of vaccination, TB numbers have gone up.
TB testing
Last year, new European Union Regulations regarding bovine TB came into force, which require that all animals moving farm to farm or through marts must be tested within a certain timeframe.
The requirements are:
- Cows of all ages, and males over the age of 36 months that are moving farm to farm or through a mart must be TB tested in the last six months and
- They must also be moving from a herd that has been tested in the last six months.
- If they do not fulfil both these requirements, they must then be tested, either within the 30 days prior to movement or within 30 days after movement into the new herd.
Animals that require a test in the 30 days after movement will be restricted immediately to the herd into which they have moved.
This herd has 30 days to carry out a test on these animals. If after 30 days, the animals have not been tested, the herd that received them will be restricted.
Sale of calves under six weeks-of-age and the purchase in of animals will be permitted. If after another 60 days, the animals have still not been tested, the whole herd will be scheduled for a TB test.
If the moved-in animal at any point is slaughtered, the restriction will be lifted, except where the herd has been listed for a full test.
This allows the opportunity for cull cows to be purchased, fed and slaughtered without incurring the cost of testing.