Joe Metcalfe Dairy and beef farmer, Dunlavin, Co Wicklow

“There needs to be research done on a vaccine for cattle. Vaccinating and culling badgers around here is not working. Deer culling is helping. The current strategy of testing, restricting and de-restricting is a failure.

“In the last year, between blood and skin tests we’ve had six or seven TB tests. We’re currently clear but we’re testing again in December. Since 2012, over 200 head are gone from here [because of TB]. We had 60 odd reactors in 2016, 60 last year and 23 so far this year.

“If there’s an inconclusive animal on this farm, she’s gone. We’re at the base of the west side of the Wicklow Mountains and TB has always been a problem on the mountain. The Department went culling badgers and I believe it spread TB further. There were old badger setts on this farm that were dormant. Between 2014 and 2016, they became active again. The Department has culled badgers on the farm. It’s OK for a year or two and then they’re active again. Deer are always crossing the farm. Hunters say that 20% to 25% of them have lesions.”

Jerry Moloney Dairy farmer, Nenagh, Co Tipperary

“Personally for me, I think they need to go to the nub of the problem – wildlife. [The Department] needs to go out and do widespread testing [of badgers] and go after it in areas that have had bad breakdowns. They need to snare, test and vaccinate badgers.

“The 30-day pre-movement testing and the letters that went out to farmers are nothing only a smokescreen. They need to get right into the nub of the problem. There also needs to be a more accurate test.

“Three cows went down on me last Friday. The animals were valued this morning [Tuesday]. Those animals are gone off my farm. I get the market value but it doesn’t account for the loss of earningss from the milk from those three cows.”

Alan Jagoe Dairy farmer, Carrigaline, Co Cork

“We’ve never had a reactor before on this farm and this year 20% of the cows are gone, 51 cows. It’s very new to us. We were in the process of trying to grow the herd to a sustainable level. We’ll be taking a step back now. We’ve never, ever, had a reactor since Dad starting milking in 1985. To lose the amount we did was very bad. It’s taken 30 years to build up the herd.

“We need something that’s workable for farmers. The letters weren’t a good thing. The Department has been very progressive for us. We’ve had the wildlife crowd and the district veterinary office out. They’re willing to throw the money, resources and time at it so we are happy.

“How practical is the proposed pre-movement testing? Is the manpower there?”