The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed that there are no plans to offset the cost on farmers for standalone tuberculosis (TB) tests.

Under new TB testing rules due to come into effect in February, animals that are moving from farm to farm or through a mart must have been TB tested in the last six months; or be tested within 30 days after the movement.

Farm organisations have consistently demanded that arrangements be put in place to fund these additional standalone tests so that farmers would not be forced to pay for more than one TB test in a year.

However, the department has now appeared to confirm that farmers will have to bear the cost of additional tests on purchased animals.

“In circumstances where a herd-keeper is obliged to carry out a specific standalone TB test in respect of purchased animals as a result of these new changes, he or she will be responsible for payment for the test,” the department said.

The law that has brought about changes to the testing regime came into effect in April of last year, though the changes to the testing rules themselves were deferred.

The new rules stipulate that all bovines that are moving from farm to farm or through a mart must be tested in the previous six months and must also be moving from a herd that has been tested in the previous six months.

If both of these requirements are not fulfilled then the animal must be tested within 30 days before or after the movement.

According to the department, the TB Stakeholder Forum agreed to the introduction of these requirements on a phased basis.

Where animals that move do not fall within the six-month testing requirement, the initial phase of implementation will see the requirement for a 30-day pre- or post-movement test applied to cows and male animals over 36 months of age. This requirement will come into effect on February 1.

Eventually, the requirement will be extended to all other bovines over six weeks of age.

The department said that the responsibility to ensure that these requirements are met ultimately lies with the buyer.

Animals that require a test within 30 days after movement are immediately restricted. If the test is not carried out within 30 days then the whole herd will be restricted.

If 60 days pass without a test on that animal (from the date of purchase), then the department will schedule that entire herd for a test.

Cost burden of TB tests

Despite the apparent agreement within the TB forum to roll out these changes, there has been no such agreement on who will pay for the extra tests, one farm organisation has said.

Hugh Farrell, the animal health and welfare chairperson for the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), said today (Thursday, September 1): “I wish to stress that no agreement on this issue has been reached.

“I and other farmers representatives attended a meeting of the Financial Working Group, a sub-committee of the TB Forum, on Tuesday [August 20], where this issue was discussed. At no point was it agreed that farmers would be responsible for paying for any additional compulsory TB testing.

“The ICSA has been consistent in its stance that farmers pay for one annual herd test and one test only. As far as we are concerned this is a fundamental principle of the TB Eradication Programme and it must be maintained,” Farrell remarked.

He added: “Discussions are ongoing and the ICSA will continue to insist that the cost of any additional mandatory TB testing must be covered by the department.”