The Department of Agriculture’s bovine TB trends for the first three months of 2025 show no signs of the disease abating from increasing trends witnessed since 2017.

The number of reactors identified during TB tests came to 6,931 between the year’s beginning and the end of March.

This is an increase of 8.5% or over 500-head on the corresponding period in 2024.

The 12-month rolling herd incidence stood at 6.18% at the end of March, up from around the 6% mark at the end of 2024 and up from just below 5% this time last year.

Criteria

This is a measure of the proportion of herds tested that go down over a 12-month period having been clear at their previous herd test.

There were 3,162 herds around the country restricted at the end of the first quarter this year, compared with 2,627 herds a year ago.

A total of 6,243 herds were restricted at some stage in the year up to the end of March, with the equivalent figure having been 5,122 one year previous. This represents an increase of one-fifth over a timeframe of just 12 months.