A number of Donegal farmers are unable to sell animals after the sudden closure of their vet practice meant their TB test results were not uploaded to the Department of Agriculture database.

Despite many of the herds testing clear, the farmers have been told that they have to wait for the Department to perform a retest, with protocol dictating a 42-day wait between the date of the initial test and retest.

Donegal Animal Hospital sparked a wave of controversy on 22 August when it announced a sudden temporary closure and with allegations that it refused to continue serving farmer clients.

The vet practice entered into a lease agreement with the international corporate entity Independent Vetcare (IVC) in January this year.

IVC confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal that it had now permanently closed the practice but declined to comment on the TB situation facing farmers.

One farmer, who did not wished to be named, told the Irish Farmers Journal that he received a letter from the Department informing him they would perform a herd retest for him at the beginning of October.

The farmer pointed out he had already completed and paid for his herd test in August and received his stamped cards back from the practice confirming his herd was free from TB.

“The person in the practice told me the relevant book with the TB results had been stolen from the practice and they’d reported it to the Department,” the farmer said.

“They said I wouldn’t be charged for the retest the Department would do.” The Department has since confirmed to this newspaper that it will cover the cost of the retest.

The farmer pointed out that he cannot now sell 30 weanlings during the peak weanling sale season and is worried he will be left without a market for his cattle.

“Someone is going to be liable for me keeping those animals if I can’t sell them,” the farmer said.

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