TB levels in cattle herds have fallen to the lowest levels yet recorded here, continuing the steady progress of the past decade.

Last year saw reductions in the three main yardsticks of the disease: number of reactors identified, percentage of herds infected and reactors per 1,000 tests. New data shows that:

  • 15,317 reactor cattle were identified last year, down from 16,145 in 2014. This was a drop of 828 head.
  • 3.37% of herds were locked up, down from 3.64%.
  • There were 1.82 reactors per 1,000 tests, down from 1.91.
  • The downward trend has resumed after a blip in 2014 when the number of reactors rose and the average-per-thousand (APT) rate increased. The improvement seen over the past five years is significant. In 2010 there were 20,211 reactors, 4.65% of all herds were locked up. Ten years ago, in 2005, there were 25,884 reactors and 5.54% of herds were locked up.

    The ongoing improvement is reducing the costs borne by the Department of Agriculture in tackling the disease. It reduces the number of farmers suffering the burden of the disease in their herds. However, the IFA has pointed out that the burden on those farmers hit by an outbreak remains high and it wants the improved TB compensation measures proposed by the Department and revealed last week to be implemented quickly.

    Not all areas are seeing improvement and counties Wicklow and Cavan remain blackspots.

    In west Wicklow, herd incidence rose from 8.47% in 2014 to 12.89% last year. The number of reactors rose from 189 to 616. APT rose from 3.22 to 9.64.

    This was in contrast to east Wicklow, where herd incidence has fallen to 6.78%, the number of reactors found fell to 568 and APT to 4.98.

    In Cavan, herd incidence rose from 3.76% to 3.93%. The number of reactors found rose from 658 to 940 and APT from 2.22 to 3.16.

    Co Clare, which has had high levels of the disease in recent years, saw levels fall. Herd incidence fell from 4.87 to 4.10; the number of reactors fell from 1,735 to 1,383 and APT from 4.55 to 3.61.

    As well as these counties, reactors per 1,000 tests is above average in Cork south, Dublin, Leitrim, Meath, Monaghan, Sligo, Westmeath and Wexford. Those counties below the national average were Cork North, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Offaly, Roscommon, Tipperary North and South, and Waterford.

    The new data from the ERAD section of the Department of Agriculture shows last year there were 115,091 cattle herds in the country, up from 114,508 in 2014. The Department tested 113,331 herds last year, up from 112,937 the year before.

    Reflecting the improving TB picture, the number of herds placed under restriction in 2015 fell. It was 3,823, down from 4,111. The number of herds still restricted at the end of 2105 was 2,091, down from 2,177 a year earlier. The Department tested 8,429,602 animals, a drop of 15,660 head.

    The continuing high incidence of TB in Co Wicklow will lead to further calls from farmers for action against the rising numbers of deer. IFA has called for a deer management programme where deer are associated with TB outbreaks on farms, to be administered by the veterinary section of the Department of Agriculture.