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The incidence of bovine TB has risen for the third consecutive year, with 4,060 herds experiencing a new breakdown in 2019.
Figures from the Department of Agriculture put the national herd incidence at 3.72%, the highest recorded since 2013.
In 2018 and 2017, incidence levels of 3.51% and 3.47% were recorded respectively.
The northeast of Ireland, including Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and north Meath, continues to be the worst-affected area. There are also elevated TB levels in parts of Clare, Cork and Wicklow.
Reactors
While the incidence of TB has increased, the number of reactors identified by skin and blood tests has fallen by 433 to 17,058 animals, down 2.48%.
Blood testing, known as gamma interferon testing, identifies reactors at an earlier stage, reducing the chances of re-infection after de-restriction.
While Ireland has lower levels of TB than in previous decades, the trend has reversed over the past three years.
The Department said the expansion of the dairy herd since 2015 had played a role, as dairy herds, larger herds and herds which introduce more cattle are all more at risk of breakdowns.
Fifty-two percent of all reactors in 2019 were in dairy herds, while there were approximately 2.8 million farm-to-farm cattle movements last year.
Regional breakdown
Wicklow west had the highest herd incidence of any county at 12.33%. A total of 380 reactors were detected, as the region contains just 0.5% of the national herd.
In comparison, the densely populated regions of Monaghan and Cork north, at incidence rates of 7.02% and 6.12% respectively, had the highest number of reactors.
In Cork north, 1,993 cattle were detected with TB, while 1,336 were detected in Monaghan.
Limerick and Longford had the lowest herd incidence at 2.06% and 2.21% respectively.
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