The number of herds restricted due to TB over the last year has dropped 5%, while the number of reactors has fallen by 8%, according to the latest figures from the Department of Agriculture.

A total of 37,610 TB reactors were identified in the 12 months from 8 December 2024 to 7 December 2025. This was a drop of 3,195 on the previous 12-month period.

In terms of the number of herds restricted, this fell by 297 to a total of 5,762 for those same 12 months.

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The fall in both the number of TB reactors and restricted herds will be welcomed by both the Department of Agriculture and the farm organisations.

While the number of restricted herds either decreased or remained stable in 21 of the 29 regional veterinary office (RVO) areas, there were sizeable increases recorded in eight districts.

In Carlow the number of herds increased from 44 to 61, an increase of 17%. The increase in Donegal was from 172 herds to 198 or 15%.

In Kerry the number of restricted herds went from 305 to 353 – an increase of 15%. There was an 11% increase in the number of restricted herds in Galway to 384 herds.

Laois, Roscommon and Offaly also recorded increases of 17%, 24% and 14% respectively.

Significant reductions in the numbers of restricted herds were also recorded, most notably in Limerick, Longford and Tipperary north.

In Tipperary north the number of restricted herds fell from 347 to 231. In Limerick the number dropped from 251 to 175, and from 179 to 141 in Longford.

In the TB ‘blackspot’ of Monaghan the number of restricted herds held stable at 298.

However, numbers were up again from 96 to 111 in Wicklow east.