An additional series of cattle movement controls announced as part of a new action plan on bovine tuberculosis (bTB) are set to be rolled out in the coming months.

Last September, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon launched a new action plan on bovine tuberculosis (bTB) but several of the key measures of the plan have not yet been implemented.

Agriland asked the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) when these measures announced in the bTB Action Plan will be implemented.

A DAFM spokesperson told Agriland that the aim of the bTB Action Plan is "to reset the TB programme in the context of putting in place measures necessary to tackle the current disease situation throughout the country".

The DAFM spokesperson explained that some of the measures announced "have been introduced in terms of communication and engagement with farmers".

DAFM also said that some measures "require work on IT systems".

"This is being prioritised and will be rolled out in the coming months.

"Farmers and all stakeholders will be notified in advance of any changes to the TB programme through communication campaigns," DAFM said.

New testing and movement controls

The new bTB action plan features five 'high-level measures', which will be underpinned by some 30 different actions.

At a recent Cavan Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) monthly meeting, Cavan's IFA Animal Health Committee representative Thomas Cooney outlined some of the key actions included in the plan that are of concern to farmers.

New testing requirements included in the plan:

30-day pre-movement test for dairy cows entering dairy herds;
Suckler cows and males over 36 months-of-age can move for six months after a clear test before they will require a 30-day pre-movement test if entering a breeding farm;
Cull cows for further fattening will not require a 30-day pre-movement test but will be restricted to the herd they are sold into;
The Gamma Interferon (GIF) test will be mandatory in breeding herds with 80 cows or more where 5% of the exposed cohort or 10 reactors - whichever is lesser - is identified.

As well as additional testing requirements, there are also a range of new movement controls set to be implemented.

New cattle movement controls included in the plan:

Cows that were part of the exposed cohort in breeding herds with 80 cows or more where 5% of exposed cohort test positive or 10 reactors - whichever is lesser - will be restricted from movement to other farms for a period of two years after the removal of the last reactor. Sales to Controlled Finishing Units (CFUs) will be permitted;
Female animals aged 18 months and older which have been present in an exposed cohort in a H breakdown will be identified at the point of sale.
A H Breakdown is where there are three or more standard reactors in a herd.

While DAFM has not specified an exact date for the implementation of the measures as of yet, some mart managers have told Agriland they expect the new measures could be implemented as soon as April.