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A slight reduction in rates of bovine TB this spring was not the start of a downward trend, with the latest disease figures from DAERA highlighting a significant increase in TB reactors removed off NI farms in May and June of this year.
In total, 1,152 animals were taken as reactors in June, compared with only 458 in the same month in 2016.
While there were more animals tested this June (182,000 v 131,000), it still represents a major increase in rates of the disease. For the first six months of 2017, a total of 7,715 reactors were taken off farms, which is a 42% increase on the same period in 2016.
Herd incidence
Herd incidence (the number of new reactor herds as a proportion of the total undertaking testing), was down at 6.39% in April, but has now moved to 7.08% by June.
For the first half of 2017, there has been 1,622 unique herd breakdowns, which is a figure fast approaching the total for all of 2016 (2,246 herds).
It leaves slightly over 10% of all cattle herds in NI currently under some form of TB restriction.
More testing
The figures also reveal that farmers are having to comply with a significant increase in TB testing in the first half of 2017.
The number of individual herd tests is up 6.4% on average compared with 2016, with the areas covered by Armagh, Newry and Newtownards divisional veterinary offices all showing a double-digit increase.
In Newtownards, herd testing is up 14%, and it remains a real hotspot for the disease, with over 17% of herds under some form of TB restriction, followed by Armagh at just over 13% of herds and Newry just over 12%.
However, the highest animal incidence (reactors per 1,000 animals tested) is actually in the area covered by Enniskillen veterinary office.
Over 14 animals per 1,000 tested went down with the disease in June, suggesting that there were some significant outbreaks in individual herds. Next is Coleraine at over nine reactors per 1,000 and Newtownards at over eight.
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