There has been widespread anger and uproar from farm organisations and marts, around Brussels proposals to impose a 30-day pre-movement TB test on animals.

Under the proposed new EU animal health law, farms that are more than six months since their last TB test would be required to test 30 days before a movement.

IFA animal health chair Pat Farrell has said the proposal “is not scientifically based, will be a major impediment to the competitive marketing of animals, and could cost the Irish TB programme up to €20 million/year.”

The new legislation is currently open for consultation. Farrell added: “The Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed and our MEPs cannot allow the EU to impose this anti-competitive market distorting expense on Irish farmers.”

Michael Harty, mart manager, of Birr, Nenagh and Roscrea marts told the Irish Farmers Journal: “It’s a disaster for the mart business and more importantly it’s a disaster for the farmer.”

“There are two things; look at the cost you are going to put onto farmers and look at the way cattle trade is going to be distorted. You’re completely taking away a farmer’s ability to make a decision on when they sell their cattle and to respond to the way trade is going”.

It’s a disaster for the mart business and more importantly it’s a disaster for the farmer

Michael Lynch, Kilkenny mart manager said: “This is certainly something that we, as a mart, would be very uncomfortable with and would be completely against. Any change to the current testing regime would be extremely unhelpful to the live trading of cattle.

“When pre-movement Brucellosis testing was removed, it made a very positive difference because farmers could make a decision on where and when they wanted to sell stock.

“Any re-introduction of pre-movement testing would leave farmers with their hands tied behind their backs.”