The latest figures released by the Department indicate that 1,245 bovine TB reactor animals were removed from farms in NI in November 2015.

It is the highest monthly number of animals removed from farms for over 10 years. The figure has probably been slightly inflated by the current DARD veterinary service policy of applying a severe interpretation of TB test results. Ultimately, it is hoped that higher numbers removed now will lead to significant reductions in reactor animals in future years.

The DARD results also show that annual herd incidence (the number of new reactor herds as a percentage of the total tested) is also up from 6.02% to 7.16%, the highest annual incidence rate since 2012. In total, nearly 10% of herds in NI are currently under some form of bovine TB restriction.

Meanwhile, a new contract between DARD and private vets for TB testing work is due to be available from 1 March 2016, with veterinary practices having 30 days to sign up to the new arrangements.

Two supplier open days were held on 20 and 21 January 2016 to provide information to all interested parties. One of the main changes is that the contract clearly puts the onus on practice principals to take responsibility for the standard of testing of all their vets. A new vet will have to test 250 animals under supervision by a principal before being allowed to test on their own.

Any private vet practices who don’t sign up to the new contract will not be allowed to test from 11 April 2016.

The fees have also changed slightly, and work out at an average of £3.19 per head, but with lower rates per head as herd sizes increase.