Call for a policy review as TB figures shoot up
THE Dept. of Agriculture must take a fundamental look at where things are going wrong with their bovine TB (bTB) eradication scheme, following the publication of the latest figure showing another increase in the spread of the disease.
Galway IFA Animal Health Committee Chairman, Stephen Canavan, told the Farming Tribune that the latest figures released by the Department were alarming, showing a major increase in the incidence of the disease in the first six months of 2020 as compared to the same period last year.
For the first six months of 2020, there were 9,439 reactors were identified in the Republic of Ireland, up 2,350 as compared to the same period last year – an increase of 33%.
Parts of Galway continue to be hard hit by disease most notably in a strip of the county from the Mayo/Roscommon border to south of Athenry – and in a strip of South Galway extending through central Clare.
“TB outbreaks have been very bad news for many farmers across Galway and especially suckler farmers who find their herds locked up for long periods of time.
“Farmers are doing everything that’s being asked of them but the time has come for the Department to have a fundamental look at what’s going wrong.
“They have to have a look again at their policy on wildlife and its role in the spread of the disease. Their strategy is simply not working and farmers are paying the price in the hardship and financial cost of having herds locked up,” said Stephen Canavan.
He also said that there was a need to review the level of compensation being paid to farmers for reactors while there were ongoing laboratory delays in giving final confirmations of whether an animal had TB or not.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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