The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has said that the average time from a bovine tuberculosis (bTB) test to when animals are collected and removed from a herd is “17.3 calendar days”.
In response to a question raised by the Fine Gael Cork North-Central TD Colm Burke, the minister said that at the beginning of this month “20,047 animals have been removed at an average of 17.3 calendar days from the date of test to the date of slaughter”.
Deputy Burke had questioned the minister on what action the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) had taken to “improve the timeline from when livestock have been tested and identified positive with TB” until they are removed from the herd.
Minister McConalogue told Deputy Burke that when an animal is tested for TB the veterinary practitioner makes two visits on separate days to complete the testing cycle.
“My department [is] notified of test results by the private veterinary practitioner through the Animal Health Computer System.
“Once eligible reactors have been identified in a herd, the On Farm Market Valuation (OFMV) process begins.
“The OFMV scheme is the principal compensation measure available to farmers who experience a TB breakdown on their herd.
“The scheme aims to compensate farmers up to the open market value of an animal as if they were not affected by disease, subject to ceilings,” the minister stated.
He said there were a number of steps in the removal process for which farmers and his department “have shared responsibility”.
But Minister McConalogue also told Deputy Burke that there are sometimes circumtances “outside of my department’s control where the removal of reactor animals must be delayed”.
He said this included when medicated animals “are observing the appropriate withdrawal period”, and also inconclusive animals who may be required to undergo further Gamma Interferon (GIF) blood testing.
Minister McConalogue said that in the case of reactor animals “who are 90%+ of gestation” they cannot be moved until they have calved on farm.
TB breakdown
The minister told Deputy Burke that he was “acutely aware of the financial and emotional trauma” of a TB breakdown on a family farm.
He said: “In addition to the OFMV scheme, there are further supplementary schemes that eligible herdowners can avail of – income supplement scheme, hardship grant and depopulation grant.
“Income supplement scheme payments are currently paid monthly in arrears and for whole months only. The first whole month commences on the date of reactor removal that triggered eligibility.”
However, Minister McConalogue also detailed to Deputy Burke that as part of the agreement on changes to the compensation schemes under the bovine TB programme the date of eligiblity for income supplement would be the date of restriction, subject to certain conditions.
“Officials at my department are currently working on making the necessary IT changes to implement these changes which will be backdated to February 1, 2023.
“Any herd owners due money as a result of these changes will be paid in due course,” he said.