What is bovine tuberculosis?
Bovine Tuberculosis is a highly infectious disease of cattle caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis). M. bovis can cause disease in other domestic or wild animals and in humans.
How is it being contracted?
According to the Department of Agriculture, cattle can become infected by breathing air contaminated by infected animals; consuming contaminated food or water; moving infected animals into a previously clear herd; contact with other infected animals, such as across fences or at shared watering points; sharing machinery or facilities between farms; and using dirty lorries to transport animals.
How widespread is the disease in Ireland?
Bovine TB disease levels in recent years have risen significantly with a recorded herd incidence increase from 4.31 per cent in 2022 to 6.04 per cent in 2024. Between 2022 and 2024, there has been a 36 per cent increase in the number of herds restricted, and according to the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), more than 6,000 farmers have lost more than 40,000 productive animals to the disease over the past 12 months.
Addressing an Oireachtas committee in November, senior veterinary inspector with the Department of Agriculture Damien Barrett said that 5,906 herds suffered a TB breakdown in the last 12 months, compared to 4,914 in the same period the year before. A TB breakdown is when a herd loses its officially TB free (OTF) status due to the illness being suspected or confirmed.
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Why is the incidence of bovine TB on Irish farms increasing?
Mr Barrett said that data analysis suggests the underlying reasons for the increased incidence are the expansion of dairy farming “and the resulting increased levels of intensive cattle farming and the increased movement of cattle”. He added that these conditions are associated with heightened susceptibility to disease, whether that is TB or any other infectious disease.
What is being done to address the issue?
Last week, Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon announced that there would be an emergency meeting on Thursday, May 8th, to discuss a revamp of the TB eradication programme.
In a statement in advance of the meeting, the Minister said that “an increasing number of farm families are facing the emotional and financial hardship of a TB breakdown”.
“Having been on a downward trajectory, disease levels have deteriorated in recent years and reached a point not seen since 2003. The stark reality is that we have reached a crossroads in our efforts to control and ultimately eradicate bovine TB.”
Describing the disease as challenging to control and eradicate, Mr Heydon said that “left unchecked, this disease will impact many more families throughout rural Ireland and the output of our agri-sector particularly in terms of lost production at both farm level and at processor level.
“It is essential that we take decisive action now to reverse the current trends. We cannot allow our farmers or rural economy to suffer by not tackling this disease head on.”
He added that although challenging, there is precedent for addressing the issue and it “can and has been done elsewhere”.
The Department of Agriculture is expected to announce a set of new Government proposals following the meeting today.
How much is bovine TB costing farmers and the Government?
The IFA recently commissioned a report that indicates TB is costing farmers more than €150 million a year, while the Government is spending around €100 million annually in dealing with the disease on farms.
In his Oireachtas address last year, Mr Barrett said that costs of running the TB eradication programme had increased from €57 million in 2023 to €74 million as of the end of last month, excluding staff costs. He added that the overall costs were on track to increase further in 2025.
