Farmers remain divided over the approach that should be taken if the Department of Agriculture was to take ‘tougher action’ to tackle rising TB reactor numbers and an increasing herd incidence at herd-level.The only single measure backed by a majority of farmers surveyed by the Irish Farmers Journal when provided with a list of five options was that of a deer cull.
Farmers remain divided over the approach that should be taken if the Department of Agriculture was to take ‘tougher action’ to tackle rising TB reactor numbers and an increasing herd incidence at herd-level.
The only single measure backed by a majority of farmers surveyed by the Irish Farmers Journal when provided with a list of five options was that of a deer cull.
A deer cull was backed by over two-thirds of the 595 surveyed, who agreed that tougher action is needed to curb current TB trends.
Data released by the National Parks and Wildlife Service last year put 2023 as a record year for deer culling, as over 78,000-head were culled under licence.
Counties Wicklow, Galway, Waterford and Donegal have been flagged by the Irish Deer Management Strategy Group as deer hotspots, with Department resources committed to back deer management efforts across 15 of these hotspot areas over the next four years.
The next most popular option that surveyed farmers reported to be open to considering was displaying each herds’ risk category on mart boards at sales.
This option was selected by 34% of those backing a tougher stance on TB.
Some 29% said they were open to a 30-day pre-movement test, 27% reported that they would consider supporting a ban on buying cattle from herds that had a recent breakdown and just 18% thought the slaughter of inconclusives after tests should be on the table.
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SHARING OPTIONS: