The latest figures from DARD suggest that around 10% of herds in NI are under some form of TB restriction. In recent months, the number of reactors has been on the increase. In February, a total of 951 reactor animals were taken from farms. The comparable month in 2014 saw 604 removed.

Anecdotal evidence from farmers also suggests that where there is a breakdown, there are increased numbers of reactor animals. In one recent case, a farmer in Tyrone is understood to have lost 80 animals, which equates to nearly half of his herd.

While Government officials might take comfort in the fact that this farmer will be compensated for his cattle, someone who loses breeding stock is left in a dire situation. There is no compensation for the revenue that will be lost in the months and years ahead. Instead, the farmer and his neighbours are subjected to an intensive regime of testing, including a dreaded midsummer test.

The current TB regime is not fit for purpose. When a breakdown occurs in a herd, surely all the cattle sold in the previous 12 months should be tracked down and tested? Why keep on testing cattle in an area when it is blindingly obvious that there is another vector involved?

Perhaps the TB partnership group formed last year to develop a plan to rid NI of bovine TB will come up with something of note when it produces its interim report in June.

Farmers will expect to see some positive action to tackle the problem in wildlife.

One of the other options on the table might also be pre- or post-movement testing of cattle. That might not be popular, but if it can help prevent the current nightmare scenario facing some farmers, it is a step worth taking.