New TB test will not be a ‘runner’ say IFA
THE Dept. of Agriculture have been accused of doing ‘yet another solo-run’ on bovine TB with their proposal to introduce a 30-day test for pre-sale movements at marts and from farm to farm.
Galway IFA Animal Health Committee Chairman, Stephen Canavan, told the Farming Tribune, said that news of the proposed new testing regime as revealed in last week’s Farmers Journal, came as ‘a bolt from the blue’.
“I suppose in one way we shouldn’t be surprised – the Department just keep coming up with these kinds of proposals without any agreement or input from farmers.
“We in IFA want to make it clear to the Department that this will be another non-runner. They went on one solo-run with the herd categorisation and now they’ve gone ahead with their next piece of tomfoolery,” said Stephen Canavan.
He said that there was absolutely no scientific proof or evidence that introducing this extra 30-day pre-movement test would in any way be a help in the campaign to reduce the incidence of TB in Irish herds.
“Either a farmer is clear or he’s not clear in terms of TB testing – there can be no in-between on this one.
“It is utterly ridiculous that a farmer after having two clear tests would end up a couple of months later having another test before he could sell stock at the mart or to another farmer.
“Who would pay for this test? Is this really just another way of taking more money from farmers whose herds have already had a clear test. It makes no sense at all,” said Stephen Canavan.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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