Each farmer's herd will be assigned to one of three different groups for both buying and selling cattle in livestock marts, under new TB testing rules, according to the Department of Agriculture.

These groups will determine what cattle farmers are eligible to buy and what destinations their cattle can be moved to when being sold.

Farmers will be able to view their groups for buying and selling cattle on Animal Identification and Movement (AIM) and it will also inform marts of animals’ grouping for selling cattle.

AIM will automatically conduct checks when a farm-to-farm movement certificate has been applied for.

The new TB testing requirements are set to come into effect from 13 April as part of the bovine TB action plan.

Selling cattle

From 13 April, farmers will be able to see their herd’s grouping on the animal details screen on AIM through myAgfood.ie.

When selling cattle, they will be grouped by AIM based on the destination they can be moved to as set out below.

Group one:

Anyone can buy:

  • Young stock (heifers/non-cow females or males under 36 months) that are in-test (tested in last 12 months).
  • Cows or males over 36 months, if they have a 30-day pre-movement test.
  • Beef-breed cows or males over 36 months on an Animal Health Law (AHL) test (animal and the herd the animal is in were tested in the last six months).

    • Group two:

    Can only be bought by non-milk supplying and non-breeding herd and controlled finishing units (CFUs).

  • Dairy breed cows with an AHL test (animal and the herd the animal is in were tested in the last six months).

    • Group three:

    Only Department-approved CFUs can buy:

  • Cows that were in an exposed cohort in herds greater than 80 cows that were GIF (blood) tested.
  • Any in-test animal, including in-test dairy breed cows not included in group one and two above.

    • Buying cattle

    Under the new rules, it will now be a requirement for livestock marts to check with AIM that a farmer's herd is an eligible destination for buying cattle in the mart.

    If the farmer's herd is not an eligible destination, they will not be allowed to purchase those cattle in the mart.

    The groups for buying can be seen below.

    Group one (open)

  • Herds in this group can buy group one animals above only.
  • This group includes breeding herds and herds with a milk supply contract in place.

    • Group two (dry)

  • Herds in this group can buy both group one animals and group two animals.
  • They are non-milk supplying, non-breeding herds.
  • If you purchase group two animals, these can only be subsequently moved directly to slaughter.

    • Group three (controlled finishing unit)

  • Approved Department CFUs can buy any animal from group one, two or three.

  • Animals can only move from CFUs directly to slaughter.

    • Read more

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