DARD to remove more animals as TB reactors - Gildernew

Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Michelle Gildernew MP, MLA has announced a revised approach in relation to bovine TB testing.

From 1 January 2010 the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) will remove as reactors those animals which give an inconclusive result to a second consecutive bovine TB (bTB) test.

It is estimated that the revised arrangements will result in approximately 400 additional reactors in 2010. This approach will also result in a consequential rise in the recorded incidence of bovine TB.

The Minister said: “These revised arrangements will apply to animals that test inconclusive for the first time from 1 January 2010. From this date onwards those animals will be removed as reactors and slaughtered, should they give an inconclusive result to a second consecutive TB test. Animals that test inconclusive, for a first or second time, before 1 January 2010 will not be affected by this change and may be allowed a third consecutive test.”

The Minister continued: “The revised approach to second time inconclusive animals is being made to ensure that we comply with EC Directive requirements; and meet the conditions of the 2010 TB Eradication Plan recently approved by the Commission. This will allow DARD to secure part of the total €10million co-funding which has been made available to the north of Ireland, England and Wales by the EU Veterinary Fund to help the fight against bTB.”

The Minister also said: “While these revised arrangements will result in a consequential rise in the recorded incidence of bTB, we need to adopt a robust approach if we are to seriously tackle this disease and we anticipate that this action will contribute to the ultimate eradication of TB in the future.”

Notes to editors:

1. DARD’s current bTB Control Programme involves regulation of cattle movements, compulsory annual testing of all cattle herds using the tuberculin skin test in line with EC Directive 64/432, use of gamma interferon blood testing in some circumstances, compulsory removal of skin reactor bovines and the testing of in-contact cattle. It also involves routine abattoir surveillance of all slaughtered bovines. Compensation for both TB reactor and in-contact cattle removed by DARD is currently 100% of market value.
2. EC Directive 64/432 provides that animals not negative to a second bTB tuberculin test are regarded as being positive to the test. To date DARD has allowed a third test.
3. The Assembly Public Accounts Committee report on TB, which was published on 29 June 2009, strongly recommended that DARD bring itself fully into line with the requirements of the Directive so as to be able to make an application for co-funding to the EU Veterinary Fund.
4. The European Commission recently approved DARD’s TB Eradication Plan submitted for the period 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2010, which will allow an application to be made for TB EU Veterinary Fund co-funding dependent on the number of reactors and the number of animal tests conducted during 2010. A total of €10 million has been allocated to be shared between England, Wales and the north of Ireland. In order to meet the conditions of the eradication plan and secure this funding for the north, DARD must comply fully with Directive 64/432 and remove those animals as reactors that give an inconclusive result to a second consecutive bovine TB test.
5. The south of Ireland, Scotland and Wales are now compliant with the Directive. England is also due to follow suit from 1 January 2010.
6. Further information about DARD’s bTB programme is available from the DARD website.
7. All media enquiries should be directed to the DARD Press Office on 028 9052 4619. Out of office hours please contact the duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.