Anthrax, Bluetongue, Brucellosis in Ruminating Animals and Swine, Campylobacteriosis, Caseous

Notifiable Diseases

The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 provides the basic legislation for the control and eradication of animal diseases. The following diseases, if suspected or confirmed, must be notified to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in accordance with the Act or the Bovine TB and Brucellosis orders.

General

Anthrax, Bluetongue, Brucellosis in ruminating animals and swine, Campylobacteriosis, Caseous

Lymphadenitis, Contagious Agalactia, Foot and Mouth Disease, Johne's Disease, Peste des

Petits Ruminants, Pulmonary Adenomatosis, Rabies, Rift Valley Fever, Salmonellosis (caused

by or involving Salmonella Enteriditis or Salmonella Typhimurium, Transmissible Spongiform

Encephalopathies (other than BSE/Scrapie), Tuberculosis in ruminating animals.

Cattle

Bovine Brucellosis, Bovine Tuberculosis, Bovine Leukosis, BSE, Cattle Plague (Rinderpest),

Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, Lumpy Skin Disease, Warble Fly.

Pigs

African Swine Fever, Aujeszky's Disease, Classical Swine Fever, Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea,

Porcine Corona Virus, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, Swine Influenza,

Swine Vesicular Disease, Porcine Enterovirus Encephalomyelitis (Teschen Disease),

Transmissible Gastroenteritis, Vesicular Stomatitis.

Sheep

Enzootic Abortion of Ewes, Maedi Visna, Scrapie, Sheep Pox, Sheep Scab.

Poultry

Arizona Disease, Avian Influenza (Low Pathogenic and Highly Pathogenic), Fowl Pest (other

than Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease), Infectious Laryngo-Tracheitis, Mycoplasmosis

(caused by or involving Mycoplasma Gallisepticum, Mycoplasma Meleagridis or

Mycoplamsa Synovia), Newcastle disease, Psittacosis, Salmonella gallinarum and pullorum,

Turkey Rhinotracheitis, diseases caused by or involving Yersinia spp.

Horses and Other Equines

African Horse Sickness, Contagious Equine Metritis, Dourine, Epizootic Lymphangitis,

Equine Infectious Anaemia, Equine Viral Arteritis, Glanders (farcy), Equine

Encephalomyelitis, Hendra virus, Piroplasmosis, Surra, West Nile Virus.

Goats

Caprine Viral Arthritis-Encephalitis, Goat Pox.

Deer

Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease.

Bees

Small Hive Beetle, Tropilaelaps Mite, American Foul Brood Disease, European Foul Brood

Disease.

TB Eradication Scheme

The control and ultimate eradication of Bovine Tuberculosis is essential for the well-being and future development of our livestock production for both export and domestic markets.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Bovine Tuberculosis is a chronic, highly infectious disease of cattle caused by members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. These mycobacteria can cause disease in other domestic or wild animals and also in humans.

Existing Arrangements for Bovine TB Eradication

The main aspects of the Bovine TB Eradication Scheme are as follows:

●  Annual testing (the “Round” test) of the national bovine herd for TB;

●  Follow-up and focused strategic additional testing which may include; additional testing

of herds found to be contiguous to a high risk TB outbreak and the use of blood testing

in certain circumstances;

●  Rapid removal of reactors to meat factories, the removal being paid for by the

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. In certain circumstances for animal

welfare reasons it may be necessary for animals which are due to calf or have recently

calved, to be retained on the holding in isolation for a specified period;

●  Where deemed appropriate, and in particular for calf welfare reasons, by Department

Inspectorate, arrangements will be made for the humane euthanasia of reactor calves

deemed to be of no commercial value and rapid removal of the carcase to a knackery,

the removal being paid for by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

●  A range of compensation measures for farmers whose herds are effected by disease;

●  Detailed epidemiology and feedback to farmers;

●  A comprehensive research programme aimed at optimising detection of TB infected

bovines, reduction of transmission to and from bovines, reduction of movement of

potentially infected bovines with specific focus on prevention of movement causing

restriction of a hitherto uninfected herd, the development of blood tests, vaccines and

other technological tools required to improve effectiveness of programmes and to

prevent TB spread by wildlife.

Responsibility for arranging and paying for the first herd tests each year rests with farmers. In addition, farmers have primary responsibility for ensuring all measures necessary to protect their own herds are taken and they are also encouraged to assist the Department’s Regional Veterinary Offices (RVO) in research activities, as necessary.

Testing Requirements for TB

All cattle on the holding, regardless of ownership, with the exception of calves under six

weeks old which were born in the holding, must be subjected to an annual test. Failure to

test by the specified date and within the required period is likely to result in the prohibition

of movement of animals from the herd to other farms, marts, meat plants and points of

export and, if relevant, the withdrawal of herd health certification under the dairy hygiene

regulations. Other sanctions and penalties may also apply.

It is very important that farmers do not medicate animals from the date of receipt of a test notification until the test has been completed, or permit such animals to be treated. The use of medications may interfere with the accuracy of the TB test and/or delay removal of infected animals where these are identified thereby potentially prolonging TB problems in the herd and the duration of the restriction. Non-urgent treatments, including routine anthelmintic/fluke dosing, should be postponed until the individual test result for the animal is known. Where related issues arise including cases where medication is deemed to be urgent these should be discussed in advance with the testing Veterinary Practitioner and with the RVO. Reactors are required to be removed within 30-days of disclosure, thus, where non-urgent medication results in delays in removal of reactors sanctions and penalties may apply.

Untreated raw milk from reactors or inconclusive reactors should never be consumed

●  It is strongly recommended that you do not use or drink unpasteurised milk in your home at any time as this poses grave health risks when there is disease in the herd.

●  Milk from reactors, inconclusive reactors or animals showing signs of Tuberculosis must be immediately withheld and must not be included in the milk dispatched to the creamery.

●  Milk from the remaining clear animals in restricted herds must only be delivered to a processing plant where it will be heat treated.

●  Milk from reactor or inconclusive reactor animals, which has not been heat-treated, must not be fed to calves or other animals however, this milk may be fed to other reactor animals on the farm.

●  Milk from reactor or inconclusive reactor animals must be safely disposed of and a record kept of the quantity produced, date and method of disposal.

Causes of infection in cattle

●  Breathing air contaminated by already infected animals;

●  Consuming contaminated food or water;

●  Movement of animals and contact with infected animals e.g. across fences;

●  Inter-farm sharing of machinery (cattle trailers, muck/slurry spreaders, etc.) or farm

facilities (cattle crushes);

●  The use of dirty lorries to transport animals;

●  Contact with other contaminated fomites;

●  Wildlife, especially TB infected badgers, may be a significant factor in the persistence

of bovine tuberculosis in certain areas.

Precautions against TB Infection

●  Have stock-proof boundary fencing preferably sufficient to prevent nose-to-nose

contact between animals in neighbouring herds;

●  Avoid contact with other herds and stock of unknown status;

●  Exercise care in buying-in cattle, check animal ID, passport and test details to ensure

these relate to the animals you are introducing to your herd. Ensure that only recently

tested cattle are allowed onto your farm to mix with your stock; follow general

biosecurity principles as recommended by Animal Health Ireland;

●  Avoid using dirty contract equipment e.g. cattle transport, slurry spreaders. All such

equipment should be cleansed and disinfected before use.

The risk of spread from wildlife can be reduced by keeping cattle and infected wildlife apart and by implementing the following measures:

●  Fence off common watercourses, stagnant ponds, badger setts, sett spoil heaps and badger toilet areas;

●  Raise drinking and feeding troughs to over 84 cm (32 inches) in height and locating them away from walls/ditches to prevent access;

●  Do not provide hand feeding to cattle where deer can share it e.g. silage/hay in circular feeders. Note meal troughs mineral blocks/licks or so called energy blocks provided at pasture or kept in fields may also be accessed by badgers and deer;

●  Keep feed storage areas, cattle sheds and yards closed so that wildlife cannot gain entry;

●  Check fields regularly for badger carcasses and especially before moving cattle onto

new pasture;

●  Be aware of unusual sightings of badgers e.g. in daytime. The badgers may be sick from

TB – contact your Regional Veterinary Office in this event.

The ideal long-term answer to the problem of bovine tuberculosis is eradication. The principles of eradication include finding disease as fast as possible, confining diseased or potentially exposed animals to prevent disease spread and eradication of infection. With an appropriate co-ordinated approach, together with new technology, Ireland can advance towards eradication of Bovine TB.

Compensation Regime for T.B. Eradication

General Conditions Governing the Payment of Compensation

●  The main elements of the existing compensation regime are the On-Farm Market

Valuation Scheme, the Income Supplement Scheme, the Depopulation Grant Scheme

and the Hardship Grant Scheme. In order to qualify for payment, the owner/keeper

must meet certain eligibility conditions under each Scheme;

●  Entitlement to the payment of compensation is conditional on compliance with the

provisions of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 (as updated) and the Animal

Health and Welfare (Bovine Tuberculosis) Regulations 2015 (as updated), with Animal

Remedies legislation, with movement, identification , bio security and any other

controls laid down under the Diseases Eradication Schemes, including the requirement

not to medicate cattle prior to testing unless urgently required and other national/EU

legislative requirements and controls relating to bovine animals administered by the

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

●  The Minister may refuse payment of compensation, in whole or in part, where a

owner/keeper does not satisfy the aforementioned provisions or where the Minister is

satisfied that the owner/keeper has failed to co-operate with Authorised Officers or

Veterinary Inspectors of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in

carrying out their duties under the Schemes. In addition a person who contrives or fails

to comply with the provisions under the aforementioned regulations render that person

liable to fine or imprisonment.

Compensation payments are structured to benefit the owner/keeper whose farming practice assists herd health protection. The Department’s Booklet “Compensation arrangements for TB Eradication - Important Information for Herdowners/Keepers” provides useful information in relation to the On Farm Market Valuation Scheme, Income Supplement, Depopulation Grant and Hardship Grant eligibility requirements, rates, etc. The booklet is available on request from the Regional Veterinary Office or on the Departments website www.agriculture.gov.ie

Even if a herd is clear each owner/keeper should be fully familiar with the terms of the TB compensation regime;

On-Farm Market Valuation

Compensation for cattle removed as reactors is paid under the On-Farm Market Valuation

Scheme. Under this scheme, full market values subject to the ceilings referred to below

will be payable where herds are stable (i.e. not operating as a feedlot, transient or dealer

herd) and where the owner/keeper has complied with the legal and other requirements

relating to the disease eradication schemes and to cattle identification/registration and

veterinary medicine requirements.

For the purpose of valuations, "Market Value" is the equivalent price which might reasonably have been obtained for the animal, at the time of determination of compensation, from a purchaser in the open market if the animal was not affected by TB or was not being removed as part of depopulation under the disease eradication programme. Ceilings limits payable are as set down in legislation by the Minister. (Also see main features below).

TB reactors which have been diagnosed as BVD positive, which limits their value as they cannot be sold on the open market, will not be eligible for compensation in addition to their salvage/insurance value. Furthermore any animals for which a BVD test result is outstanding will require a BVD negative result before being eligible for full market valuation. Note: EU State Aid rules also require that herdowners should not be over-compensated for actual losses arising from the removal of cattle as reactors. Accordingly, herdowners are required to advise the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine of any payments received from private insurance in respect of any animal removed as a reactor. Where such payments are made, the amount payable by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will be reduced accordingly.

The main features of the live valuation system include:

●  Valuations are carried out within prescribed timescales and by reference to guidelines

drawn up by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and his officials;

●  A ceiling of €2,800 (inclusive of factory salvage price payable by the factory and any

payment received under a policy of insurance) applies to payments in respect of any

single animal, except in respect of one pedigree stock bull per farm per breakdown

episode, where a ceiling of €3,500 (inclusive of factory salvage price payable by the

factory and any payment received under a policy of insurance) applies;

●  The valuation of dairy animals where appropriate is calculated by reference to a notional herd average yield determined by the Department or utilising milk recording figures. It is important to note that only those milk recording figures supplied by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) are acceptable. In addition these will only be considered where the minimum requirement set down by the Department is available. The Department does not accept milk recording figures where the milk recording commences after notification of a restriction of a holding;

●  Where the herdowner/keeper or the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine do not accept the initial valuation, they can appeal the valuation. Herdowners who wish to appeal this valuation can do so by returning the appropriate form to the Regional Veterinary Office within the time scales set down in the scheme documentation;