The TB testing flexibilities introduced at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic will cease from 1 September, the Department of Agriculture has confirmed.
The flexibilities exempted calves aged 42-120 days from a requirement to be TB tested, thereby enabling calves up to 120 days of age to be sold without a test.
The TB testing flexibilities also allowed herd tests to be delayed for up to four weeks.
The measures were introduced last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and aimed to streamline testing and reduce the requirement for animal handling.
The protocol enabling the flexibilities was due to expire in 1 August, but was extended to 1 September due to the spread of the Delta variant.
However, it is understood that the European Commission had indicated that the flexibilities should end by 1 September, unless there was a major change in COVID-19 circumstances.
Commenting on the removal of the option to sell calves up to 120 days without a TB test, ICMSA deputy president Lorcan McCabe said this measure had played a hugely valuable role over the spring 2020 and 2021 periods in allowing farmers to better plan the sale of calves.
“It also provided buyers with the option to buy more mature calves, which was of benefit to both buyer and seller, as well as from an animal welfare perspective,” McCabe added.
Clear benefits have been identified from allowing the sale up to 120 days, the ICMSA representative claimed.
“ICMSA will be asking the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine to make this option available again in 2022 during the peak calving period,” Mr McCabe said.
The TB testing flexibilities introduced at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic will cease from 1 September, the Department of Agriculture has confirmed.
The flexibilities exempted calves aged 42-120 days from a requirement to be TB tested, thereby enabling calves up to 120 days of age to be sold without a test.
The TB testing flexibilities also allowed herd tests to be delayed for up to four weeks.
The measures were introduced last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and aimed to streamline testing and reduce the requirement for animal handling.
The protocol enabling the flexibilities was due to expire in 1 August, but was extended to 1 September due to the spread of the Delta variant.
However, it is understood that the European Commission had indicated that the flexibilities should end by 1 September, unless there was a major change in COVID-19 circumstances.
Commenting on the removal of the option to sell calves up to 120 days without a TB test, ICMSA deputy president Lorcan McCabe said this measure had played a hugely valuable role over the spring 2020 and 2021 periods in allowing farmers to better plan the sale of calves.
“It also provided buyers with the option to buy more mature calves, which was of benefit to both buyer and seller, as well as from an animal welfare perspective,” McCabe added.
Clear benefits have been identified from allowing the sale up to 120 days, the ICMSA representative claimed.
“ICMSA will be asking the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine to make this option available again in 2022 during the peak calving period,” Mr McCabe said.
SHARING OPTIONS