Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps she is taking to protect herds against botulism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18978/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Botulism is not a notifiable disease under the Diseases of Animals Acts. However, samples from animals may be submitted for testing to my Department's Central Veterinary Laboratory or Regional Veterinary Laboratories at the discretion of a Private Veterinary Practitioner or on request by a herdowner through a Private Veterinary Practitioner.

Bovine Botulism can be contracted through contact with contaminated decomposing organic material such as poultry litter which contains poultry carcass material when spread on land grazed by cattle.

The Animal By-Products Regulation (Regulation (EC) No. 1774/2002) allows poultry litter to be applied to land under certain conditions. Under this Regulation, the manager of a poultry unit is obliged to remove carcasses from poultry litter and to send these to an approved plant for rendering.

In 2005, my Department wrote to dairy processors advising them about this issue and asked them to distribute to their producers an information/advisory note entitled "Good Farming Practice with regard to Spreading Poultry Litter on Land". Poultry processors were also circulated with a similar information/advisory note. An "Information Note on Botulism for Veterinary Practitioners" and "Instructions for Practitioners when dealing with Suspected cases of Botulism on Farm" were also circulated to Private Veterinary Practitioners. Copies of an information/advisory note entitled "Good Farming Practice with regard to Spreading Poultry Litter on Land" are available to farmers from District Veterinary Offices. My Department will again issue publicity on this matter in the near future.

In addition to the above, my Department's veterinary staff has held meetings with the industry to raise awareness on the issue. I believe that the poultry industry is well aware of the issues with regard to their obligations on the safe disposal of litter and carcass material in accordance with EU Regulation 1774/2002. Indeed, sections of the industry have been very proactive in dealing with this issue and have adopted good practice procedures.

My Department will be undertaking random inspections on poultry producers' premises to ensure that the necessary procedures are being followed. Where there is evidence that this is not the case, the Department can require that all poultry litter from those premises be sent for rendering.

While humans may be affected by botulism, the specific toxins implicated in the conditions in humans are not those normally associated with the condition in cattle. It is also generally accepted that humans are resistant to the types of toxin that affect cattle. Furthermore, these toxin types are poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and the toxins themselves are inactivated by heat treatment. The risk to human health from the consumption of milk or meat from cattle on farms with cases of botulism therefore appears to be remote. However, as a precautionary measure, farmers are advised to wear gloves, to wash their hands thoroughly after handling poultry litter and to avoid unnecessary contact with the material.