Written answers

Tuesday, 31 March 2015

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

TB Eradication Scheme

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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312. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm that local district veterinary offices are issuing letters to farmers, up to six weeks in advance of herd tests, instructing them not to medicate animals in advance of forthcoming tests; if his attention has been drawn to the animal welfare implications of such an instruction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12829/15]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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It is established practice under the TB Eradication Scheme that farmers are given a 6 week window within which to conduct their annual round test. This is done to afford the farmer sufficient flexibility to arrange the test in a way that best suits his or her farming enterprise.

The test notification letter also advises the farmer to avoid giving routine treatments in advance of the test. The reason for this is (i) to avoid the risk of inadvertently interfering with the test result and (ii) to avoid treated animals having to be retained on farms to comply with the post-treatment withdrawal period. This approach is in line with the key objectives of the Scheme, which are to have reactors removed from the farm as quickly as possible to minimise the restriction period and minimise risk of in-herd spread of the disease.

However, it should be stressed that a number of mechanisms are built into the arrangements to facilitate farmers in treating their animals. First, farmers are permitted to carry out urgent treatments, including for animal welfare related reasons, and this is made clear in the test notification letter. In addition, provision is made for farmers to bring forward the test date in order to facilitate their routine treatment schedules. Provision is made to address circumstances where a farmer finds it necessary to postpone a test because of particular circumstances.

In summary, I believe that it is necessary to have arrangements in place to deal with the medication of animals in a manner which is consistent with the objectives of the TB Scheme and that there are sufficient flexibilities built into the system to ensure that there are no animal welfare implications arising from these requirements.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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313. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost per animal of the plan to chip and vaccinate badgers against tuberculosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12830/15]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department's TB eradication programme incorporates a wildlife strategy because tuberculosis is present both in cattle and in badgers. Research conducted over the years by the Department and others has demonstrated that the eradication of bovine TB disease is not a practicable proposition until the issue of the reservoir of infection in badgers, which is seeding infection into the cattle population, is addressed. It is therefore necessary to eradicate TB in both species. In view of this, the comprehensive TB Eradication Programme as implemented by my Department has incorporated a badger removal policy since 2004. I should emphasise that badgers are only removed in areas where an epidemiological investigation carried out by my Department’s Veterinary Inspectorate has found that badgers are the likely source of infection.

While the culling of badgers is cost effective and has contributed significantly to the very significant improvement in the disease situation in recent years, badger culling alone will not enable my Department to achieve its ultimate objective of eradicating TB in cattle. Accordingly, my Department intends to incorporate badger vaccination into the eradication programme when data are available to ensure that it can be incorporated in an optimally effective and sustainable manner. A number of field trials are ongoing in Ireland with this objective in mind. Some 1,575 badgers have been vaccinated to date. It is estimated that it costs approximately €21 to microchip and vaccinate each badger. In addition, there are extra costs for manpower used in the programme, but these are difficult to quantify in view of the fact that the staff involved are also engaged in other official duties. It will be a number of years before a viable oral delivery method can be put in place and, therefore, targeted badger removals will continue in the medium term.

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