Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has been urged to guarantee that farmers will not be required to finance additional bovine tuberculosis (TB) testing obligations.

“Explicit guarantees” that farmers will not be burdened with additional costs for increased TB testing or control must be provided, independent TD for Laois-Offaly Carol Nolan has said.

Deputy Nolan met with concerned farmers who fear that proposals are being put in place to ensure they will bear the cost of all TB testing above and beyond the single annual test.

“The farmers I am speaking to are well aware that the issue of additional payments for TB testing was deferred by The Financial Working Group of the Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum until February 2023,” the deputy said.

However, they are concerned that further payments will be demanded from them despite the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) and the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) opposing any such move, she added.

Supporting the IFA and the ICSA in making the issue of additional payments beyond the once-a-year annual test a “non-starter”, Deputy Nolan commented:

“Farmers have always shown that they are willing to play their part in TB eradication and indeed to pay for the annual test. But to move beyond that and to impose additional statutory burdens in terms of costs will be resisted.”

From February 1, 2023, cows of all ages and males over the age of 36 months moving from farm to farm or through marts must be TB tested within a certain time frame.

TB testing

The Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum has agreed to introduce these requirements on a phased basis. Initially, the requirements are that:

  • 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 both requirements are not fulfilled, they must then be tested either within the 30 days prior or after movement into the new herd, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has said.

Animals that require a test in the 30 days after movement will be restricted immediately to the herd into which they have moved.

However, the restriction will be lifted if the moved-in animal at any point is slaughtered (except where the herd has been listed for a full test).

If after 30 days the animals have not been tested, the herd that received them will be restricted, and after another 60 days (90 days in total) the whole herd will be scheduled for a TB test.

This allows the opportunity for cull cows to be purchased, fed and slaughtered without incurring the cost of testing, the DAFM said.

Sale of calves under six weeks of age and the purchase in of animals will be permitted. A leaflet with more information on new TB testing requirements is available on the DAFM website.