Heydon to ‘move quickly' to ‘refine' TB Eradication Programme
The meeting took place yesterday (Thursday, May 8) in Dublin.
The objective of the meeting, which Minister Heydon convened and attended himself, was to address deteriorating TB disease levels.
TB disease levels have increased significantly in recent years. Herd incidence has gone from 4.31% in 2022 to 6.04% in 2024, a 36% increase in the number of herds restricted between 2022 and 2024.
This is a point not seen since 2003.
The following organisations and bodies attended the meeting:
Animal Health Ireland (AHI);
Irish Farmers' Association (IFA);
National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS);
Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS);
Irish Natura and Hill Farmers' Association (INHFA);
Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA);
Macra;
Veterinary Ireland;
Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA);
Teagasc.
These groups were given an opportunity to provide feedback on proposed measures to tackle TB at the start of the summit. This was followed by bilateral meetings with the minister and his officials.
Commenting on the summit, Minister Heydon said 'The most effective way to mitigate the impact of this disease on farm families is to reduce its incidence and the potential of spread between herds.
'This will involve some difficult decisions, and I wanted to provide an opportunity to those affected to provide their perspectives on what is a significant challenge for all concerned,' he added.
'I also want to ensure that any measures that we adopt are based on the very best scientific advice.
'I am satisfied that today's engagement will contribute to a more effective programme that protects farmers from this disease,' the minister said.
He added: 'I intend to move quickly now to refine the programme to ensure that we do what is necessary to reduce the impact of this disease on farm families.'
It is understood that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine outlined around 30 draft proposals to tackle the rising incidence rate of TB at the emergency meeting.
Agriland understands that the department presented proposals at yesterday's meeting under the following headings:
Support herds to remain free of bovine TB;
Reduce the impact of wildlife on the spread of bovine TB;
Detect and eliminate TB infection as early as possible in herds with a TB breakdown and avoid a future breakdown;
Help farmers improve all areas of on-farm biosecurity;
Reduce the impact of known high risk animals in spreading TB.
The draft proposals are understood to have stated that information on TB herd risk category would be provided at point of sale for all cattle.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Agriland
3 hours ago
- Agriland
E14 6m Paid to Vets for Tb Testing in 2024
More than €14.6 million euro was paid to vets for bovine tuberculosis (TB) testing in 2024. That's according to the Annual Report 2024 for the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM). TB is a highly infectious disease of cattle caused by a bacterium called mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis). M. bovis can cause disease in other domestic or wild animals and in humans. Since 1954, Ireland has culled around 2.5 million TB reactor animals in an effort to eradicate TB. At the end of 2024, bovine TB herd incidence increased to 6.04% from 4.94% at the end of 2023. The number of reactors increased by almost 44% to 41,682 in 2024 from 28,901 in 2023. There is considerable regional variation in TB levels across Ireland, which can be seen from the map below. Source: DAFM Annual Report 2025 Ireland's Bovine TB Eradication Programme operates in line with best national and international scientific research and advice, according to DAFM. A large body of peer-reviewed research has been conducted into the spread of TB in Ireland and the risks underlying its transmission. The Bovine TB Eradication Programme is designed to eradicate bovine TB from the cattle herd in Ireland. The programme is necessary because of the high incidence of the disease in the country; the infectivity of the disease; the potential risks to humans; interference with animal productivity; and preservation of export markets, particularly live exports. The main elements of the programme are as follows: Annual testing of the national herd and/or designated categories of animals; Supplementary testing on a risk basis where appropriate (e.g., contiguous herds, special check tests etc.); Primary responsibility for arranging testing and paying for certain tests, with farmers paying for the annual round test and other private tests which account for about 70% of the testing costs; A compensation regime for farmers who suffer a disease outbreak; The payment by farmers of disease levies to help fund the compensation regime; A reactor collection service to ensure rapid removal of infected animals in a manner to avoid the spread of the disease; A programme aimed at preventing TB spread by wildlife (removal & vaccination of badgers). The annual report from DAFM outlines that badgers are vaccinated by veterinary staff with BCG to reduce the transmission of TB between badgers. This has been demonstrated in field trials to reduce the reproduction number (R0) in badgers from 1.2 to 0.5. DAFM has stated that the badger vaccination programme in Ireland has a "crucial role" in reducing the risk of TB in cattle from a badger source. The area of Ireland subject to vaccination stood at 24,874km² at the end of 2024. In 2024, the focus was on continuing to identify as many new setts as possible to ensure good population penetration in badger vaccination areas and to continue to review operations to ensure high badger capture rates. The badger app, which was launched in October 2021, continues to be used by farmers to pin badger activity locations on farmland. There were 740 submissions made on the app in 2024. These locations are then followed up by wildlife officers. Department staff have also engaged with farmers, farming organisations and state bodies to help further identify badger setts and badger activity. In 2024, 8,123 badgers were captured in vaccination areas, of these 3,832 badgers were newly vaccinated. Additionally, 7,267 badgers were removed where exposure to TB in badgers resulted in bovine TB breakdowns on farms. The table below sets out the annual expenditure if the bovine tuberculosis programme. Annual expenditure ('000() % difference 2024-2023 % difference 2024-2022 % difference 2023-2022 2022 2023 2024 Compensation - other €3,641 €5,060 €9,662 91% 165% 39% Vet fees - testing €13,574 €13,262 €14,623 10% 8% -2% Supplies €8,103 €10,629 €8,615 -19% 6% 31% Research €1,131 €832 €1,789 116% 59% -26% On farm market valuation €22,880 €34,748 €54,348 56% 138% 52% Valuer fees €660 €818 €1,181 44% 79% 24% Wildlife €6,407 €7,673 €9,171 20% 43% 20% Other costs €1,052 €1,252 €1,218 -3% 16% 19% Total €57,448 €74,283 €100,616 35% 75% 29% Source: DAFM Annual Report 2025 The On-Farm Market Valuation Scheme is the main measure for compensating farmers for the removal of TB reactor animals. Supplementary schemes such as Depopulation Grants, Income Supplement and Hardship Grants compensate for income losses and additional feed costs due to restriction. €64 million was spent during 2024 on all compensation elements of the TB Eradication Programme. Receipts from Bovine Diseases Levies increased in 2024 to €8.1 million compared to €7.9 million in 2023.
Agriland
a day ago
- Agriland
Farmers to lead new UK project on TB vaccination for badgers
A new farmer-led research project in England is exploring how badger vaccination may be used within the tuberculosis (TB) eradication strategy. The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the National Farmers' Union (NFU) have secured £1.4 million of Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) funding to enable this work to take place. The three-year research project has been driven by farmers in Cornwall who want to better understand the impact badger vaccination may have, both in preventing TB in the badger population and in cattle herds. The research will explore the effectiveness and practicality of scaled-up, industry delivered, badger vaccination as part of a comprehensive bovine tuberculosis (bTB) eradication strategy. The project will pilot three different vaccination approaches to determine which delivery model works best at scale in a cost-effective way: Standard approach: Annual vaccination over four years, following the current badger vaccination guidelines; Intermittent: Vaccinate every other year (year one and three) with the aim of reducing delivery costs and enabling faster expansion. Targeted: Reactive vaccination based on TB breakdown holdings and nearby farms. The project will track the effectiveness of vaccination within the badger population using blood tests. Cameras will also be deployed to estimate badger population densities, vaccination coverage and badger recovery rates in post-cull areas. A previous study, implemented on a small scale by ZSL and the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, found that the number of badgers testing positive for exposure to TB dropped from 16% to 0% over four years of vaccination. The new project will involve ZSL's team of vaccinators working with industry to train farmers and landowners in the area to increase vaccination delivery. This will ultimately allow more landowners to access badger vaccination where appropriate as a means of disease control. Rosie Woodroffe, professor at the Institute of Zoology at ZSL, said: "For half a century, wildlife advocates and farmers have argued about the best way to manage the risk of TB transmission between badgers and cattle". "Ultimately, we all want the same thing: to see TB eliminated so that farmers, their livestock, and wildlife can all thrive. 'By working together to compare different approaches, we can develop a shared understanding of the evidence as it emerges and use it to identify TB control solutions which are effective and sustainable," she added. NFU member and livestock farmer Martin Howlett, who is taking part in the project, has seen his farm "repeatedly hit by TB over a 15-year period". "Losing cattle, even if it's only a few each time, takes a massive toll on the family and the business, which was essentially frozen. What I remember most from that time was a constant sense of dread. 'Wildlife control played a key part in helping us to eradicate TB on our farm and we've been TB-free for five years now, but we know this measure won't be available forever. It's vital we look at other tools to ensure we can continue to reduce cases. 'I'm hoping this project will deliver the evidence we currently don't have – that badger vaccination can be delivered at a much bigger scale across the country and help farmers in the fight against bovine TB," he said.
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
New veterinary medicines rules will put small independent traders out of business, minister warned
A range of veterinary medicines, currently available over the counter, will become prescription only from September 1. But agriculture minister Martin Heydon has been urged to postpone the implementation of the new regulations. Senator P J Murphy called on him in the Upper House to conduct a full and independent review of the economic and social impact before the sector is regrettably and permanently damaged. He said the move under the new Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Act 2023 would deem all antiparasitic veterinary drugs to be prescription only. These remedies are used on farms on a day-to-day basis to treat cattle for conditions such as worms, fluke and lice. Mr Murphy said the products were on the market under tight Department of Agriculture control, with experienced well-trained staff providing advice to farmers at the point of sale. According to new EU harmonised legislation, prescribing must be undertaken by veterinary practitioners, who are also permitted to sell and dispense these products. Most importantly, there is no requirement for vets to keep prescribing and dispensing separate from one another, creating a concerning conflict of interest. 'This shift is not just a regulatory update. It is an economic and structural seismic shift to the many small independent licensed traders across this country. 'According to the Central Statistics Office, Ireland's veterinary medicines market is worth approximately €400m annually. 'While €300m of this already ends up with veterinary practitioners, the remaining €100m goes to a network of small, independent merchants and co-ops found in towns and villages across rural Ireland,' he said. Mr Murphy said the Independent Licensed Merchants Association, which represents 350 of these smaller merchants countrywide, warns only 38 of its members can remain in business under these new rules. 'That is a potential loss of nearly 90% of this industry. This is a choice that is anti-competitive,' he said. He said the justification given for this change was the need to combat antimicrobial resistance and improve traceability and oversight via the national veterinary prescription system, which requires all prescriptions to be on a central controlled database. 'However, as a person who has worked my whole life in the cattle farming sector and administered these medications on thousands of occasions, I assure this House that we as farmers are not in the habit of overusing these expensive medications and do not use them when they are not necessary. Indeed, it quite on the contrary. I fear the inevitable price rise, which will result from the gifting of a monopoly on the sale of these crucial antiparasitic products, could result in their under-use, leading to severe animal welfare concerns. 'I have great fear that it could also lead to an increase in the purchasing of these medicines through black market sources,' he said. Mr Murphy said while the goals of health and EU compliance were important, implementation must reflect Irish rural reality. Without safeguards for independent merchants, this regulation risks creating a dangerous monopoly in the veterinary medicine distribution sector, he said. Fine Gael senator Mark Duffy said from discussions he had with the farming community in Co Mayo, there were serious concerns about the upcoming proposals and changes and how these threatened to monopolise the market. 'We need to have a discussion before these changes are brought into effect because it could have serious ramifications and increases in cost for farmers,' he said. Senator Sean Kyne, leader of the House, said the Veterinary Medicinal Products, Medicated Feed and Fertilisers Regulation Act was passed in the Houses of the Oireachtas in the summer of 2023. 'That is the law we are working with. There may be some sections that are now being commenced, but the law has been agreed and passed. There were debates on those matters at the time. 'I will raise this matter again with the minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon. Perhaps there are issues with the commencement of some of these regulations,' he said.
