asked the Minister for Agriculture whether, in view of the alarming statements made in farming circles regarding the speed of T.B. attestation in Great Britain and the corresponding progress made here, he will make a full and detailed statement on the T.B. eradication campaign, clearly outlining the voluntary contribution required and the steps he proposes to take with a view to (a) extending the scope of the campaign, (b) ensuring that no reinfection takes place where progress has been made, and (c) eliminating deficiencies either in regard to the alleged inadequacy in the number of veterinary surgeons available or in regard to other factors.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - T.B. Attestation and Eradication.
Might I draw the attention of the Deputy and the House to the fact that the Deputy has asked for a full and detailed statement? What I have here is a full and detailed statement covering five foolscap pages. I shall read it, or if the Chair and the Deputy and the House permit, I will have it circulated and inserted in the Official Report.
As the House will be sitting next week, we shall have an opportunity of asking the further questions that will arise from this long statement.
The usual procedure is to circulate it.
With your permission, I shall have it circulated accordingly.
Following is the statement:
The Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Scheme which was introduced on 1st September, 1954, aims at the clearance of the country of tuberculosis in cattle, area by area. At the start three areas, viz:—County Sligo, County Clare and the Bansha area, were selected for intensive eradication measures on this basis and, concurrently, herd-owners in the rest of the country, collectively referred to as the general areas, were offered facilities for clearance of the disease on an individual herd basis, thus providing for a gradual build-up of tuberculosis-free herds in all districts so as to pave the way for future eradication on the area basis.
The scheme has so far relied on the purely voluntary co-operation of herd-owners whose response has been widespread and highly satisfactory, particularly in the intensive areas. Up to 30th June, 1956, over 60,500 herd-owners, or 21 per cent of the total number in the entire country, had applied under the scheme, almost 16,000 of these applicants being in the three intensive areas. The degree of application in each area was:—Sligo, 67 per cent.; Clare, 54 per cent.; Bansha, 79 per cent. In the general areas the highest application rate is in County Kerry where it is 39 per cent. and County Mayo is the next highest with 30 per cent. In 12 other counties applications already range from 11 per cent to 20 per cent.
By the date mentioned, 47,700 herds, comprising 620,000 animals or 14 per cent. of all cattle in the country, had been given their first test and over 15,200 of these herds had also been tested for the second time. The initial tests disclosed that slightly less than 18 per cent of all animals tested failed to pass the test. Over 16,200 herds, or 33 per cent of those initially tested, proved to be entirely free of the disease. In the intensive areas where the removal of reactors is mainly effected through direct purchase by the Department, the number so disposed of up to the end of June, 1956, was 5,284 at a cost of over £184,000. Almost all those in the intensive areas whose herds have been initially tested decided to participate further in the scheme; in the general areas the degree of participation is 90 per cent. Arising out of participation in the scheme, over 28,800 applications for grants for byre improvements have been received and are receiving priority treatment.
As I mentioned in the House during the debate on my Department's Estimate for the current year, other countries have been able to travel further and faster than ours in the matter of dealing with bovine T.B. As regards Great Britain, to which the Deputy specificially refers, the position is that eradication measures were first introduced in that country in 1935 when an attested herds scheme was initiated under which, however, the herd owner was obliged to test, and clear his herd of reactors entirely at his own expense before the herd would be accepted for official supervision. Only when a high percentage of herds in an area had thus become disease-free was area eradication embarked on. This commenced in 1950. I understand the position at the end of March, 1956, was that some 62 per cent of all cattle in Great Britain were then in attested areas and herds.
As a result of our efforts since the scheme was introduced in September, 1954, we may, I think, claim to have got off to a good start, but the eradication of the disease is going to be a slow, painstaking process and only the fullest co-operation of the individual herd owner can bring it to complete success. The tuberculin test merely identifies the reactors in a herd. The herd owner must make his contribution by removing them in the shortest possible space of time in keeping with the circumstances of the herd, by isolating them effectively while they remain on the premises, by disinfecting the cowhouses, by improving byre accommodation and boundary fences and, of vital importance for the future, by bringing into the herd none but tested stock. These measures have to remain the responsibility of the individual farmer. Strict observance of these measures also constitutes the most reliable way to ensure that, after clearance, a herd will remain disease-free.
As regards future development, I am convinced that the most urgent aim of our endeavours should be the early creation of at least one accredited area of good size. The high degree of progress already achieved in County Sligo merits the selection of that county for clearance as the first accredited area. Fresh legislation will be necessary to enable the necessary steps to this end to be taken and I accordingly propose to introduce a Bill in the coming session. I announced in an address to Sligo County Committee of Agriculture on 26th March last that, subject to the passing of the legislation, the necessary measures to complete the final clearance of that county will commence in the summer of 1957. These will, perforce, include powers to safeguard the interests of those herd-owners who by that time will have voluntarily progressed towards eradication.
At the same time the surrounding zone, comprising part of Donegal, Leitrim, North Roscommon and East Mayo, will be treated as an intensive area. It is hoped to declare County Sligo as our first accredited area in 1959 and to link up with County Clare, which by then should be in the final clearance stage, with a view to the clearance as soon as possible of the whole area west of the Shannon. While this programme is in operation it is also intended to introduce the necessary measures in County Kerry, where voluntary participation has already reached a high level, leading up to its declaration as another accredited area.
It is also intended, in the light of experience to date, to introduce some modification of the existing measures in the general areas. It has become apparent that the removal of reactors by participating herd-owners is not proceeding in many cases at the rate necessary to ensure clearance of their herds within a reasonable period, while another matter that is not receiving adequate attention is the isolation of reactors. Under the revised measures now being considered each participating herd-owner will in future be obliged to comply strictly with a yearly programme in accordance with standards formulated by the Department for the removal of reactors, and other matters connected with the clearance of disease.
Should the owner default, his voluntary participation in the scheme will be terminated. Another intended change is the introduction, at the request of the National Farmers' Association, of an accredited herd scheme to cater for owners who desire speedily to rid their herds of reactors and to take the other steps necessary to earn official accreditation status for their herds and premises. Under this scheme the herd-owner, in order to qualify for registration at the earliest possible date, will carry out some of the testing at his own expense. As a corollary to the grant of registration to an accredited herd it is hoped that it will be feasible to provide some special facilities in connection with the export of stock from such herds.
The eradication of bovine T.B. will, as I have already informed the House, be a long-term project. Apart from the very heavy financial expenditure involved, a major obstacle to speedy results, particularly in the breeding areas, is the difficulty of replacing the animals reacting to the test. To meet this need, I would urge all farmers to concentrate on the production in the years ahead of a good foundation stock of Shorthorns so that the herd-owner who cannot supply all the healthy replacements he may need from within his own herd will find that suitable stock is on offer.
Another vital adjunct to the eradication measures is the pasteurisation of separated milk returned to farms from creamery premises. Despite the offer of a generous grant to creameries for the installation of plant for this purpose, there are still over 400 premises not equipped. It is eminently desirable that the creamery societies concerned should install the necessary plants as quickly as possible.
As regards the availability of veterinarians, the present position is that there are approximately 600 veterinary surgeons on the register, but only some 400 of these are engaged in private practice. There is no doubt that this number is very small in relation to the demand that arises for professional veterinary services. The general shortage of veterinary surgeons has been reflected in the difficulty which has been experienced in recent years in recruiting veterinary inspectors for the Department's staff, on which there are still unfilled posts.
The veterinary profession is affording valuable and unstinted assistance in the operation of the scheme but such assistance is necessarily limited by the extent of the call of ordinary private practice on the veterinary surgeons. It is hoped that the greatly increased volume of professional work arising in connection with the eradication programme will continue to encourage the return of Irish veterinary surgeons at present working outside the country—already there is a trend in this direction—and that those who qualify annually at the Veterinary College of Ireland will take up practice here, where their services are now so urgently required.