asked the Minister for Agriculture the regulations relating to sanitary precautions to be taken during testing of cattle for bovine TB; and if the regulations apply from animal to animal.
187.
Written Answers. - Bovine TB.
186.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will outline the likely effect if, according to recent allegations, the same needle is used in many tests; and if he will confirm these allegations.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 187 together.
The instructions issued by my Department to veterinary practitioners in relation to sanitary precautions during testing provide that the syringes and needles should be carefully examined before and during tests to ensure that they are working efficiently and that they should be sterilised before use. Needles and syringes should be used exclusively for tuberculin testing and the syringes should be clearly marked to distinguish those used for avian tuberculin from those used for bovine tuberculin.
While veterinary surgeons testing under the bovine tuberculosis eradication scheme may thus use the same needle for several tests, it is standard practice to disinfect the needle prior to re-use.
188.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will outline the cause-causes of bovine TB.
Bovine tuberculosis is a highly infectious disease caused by the bacterium mycobacterium bovis. It is a chronic progressive disease which typically effects the respiratory system but can affect all organs. In addition to bovines, the bacterium can cause disease in other domestic or wild animals and also in humans. The most common cause of infection is lateral spread from animal to animal but it can also be transmitted by means of contaminated feed, milk, water, machinery, transport, housing and land.
189.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will outline his Department's view and policy in relation to wildlife and their role in: (a) the cause of bovine TB and (b) the spread of bovine TB.
193.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will outline the procedures for testing wildlife in connection with animal disease, e.g. TB.
I propose taking Questions Nos. 189 and 193 together.
My Department's view is that, in certain circumstances, wildlife can be a factor in the persistence and spread of bovine TB. Accordingly, where the disease is chronic in particular herds and the standard eradication procedures do not succeed in improving the situation, it is sometimes necessary to investigate the possible involvement of wildlife. Such investigations are carried out under licences from the Department of Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry and under the direct supervision of veterinary inspectors of my Department.
Where it is necessary to test wildlife such as deer for bovine TB the testing procedures correspond closely to those followed in the case of cattle. For some species of wildlife including the badger there is no routine TB test available and the presence of the disease can only be established by post mortem examination.
190.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of bovine TB reactors in the last five years.
The number of bovine TB reactors slaughtered in each of the last five years is as follows: 1981 — 29,755; 1982 — 26,770; 1983 — 27,691; 1984 — 33,560; 1985 — 31,572.
191
asked the Minister for Agriculture the numbers of cattle taken our of herds in: (a) Longford; and (b) Westmeath in (i) the last five years; and (ii) this year to date following bovine TB tests showing inconclusive results.
To date, under the 1986 testing programme, 38 animals, which in normal circumstances would have been regarded as inconclusive and thus subjected to further tests, have been classified as reactors and removed from herds in County Longford. This procedure is adopted in areas such as County Longford where the disease situation is very serious and this is the first time it has been applied in the county. The current disease situation in County Westmeath does not warrant a similar approach.
192.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of bovine TB carcasses showing lesions.
Some 30 per cent of bovine TB reactors currently show visible lesions on slaughter.
194.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of bovine TB reactors carcasses condemned as unfit for human consumption in 1982-83, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1985-86 and 1986-87.
Statistics for the total number of carcasses condemned at meat export premises as unfit for human consumption on grounds of bovine TB are available on a calendar year basis, and are as follows:
|
Year |
No. of Whole Carcasses |
|
1982 |
134 |
|
1983 |
87 |
|
1984 |
131 |
|
1985 |
135 |
|
1986 (Jan-July) |
87 |
There has been, in addition, a large number of cases in which parts of carcasses and individual organs have been condemned.
195.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the end use of bovine TB reactor beef carcasses.
Bovine TB reactors are subjected to detailed ante and post-mortem veterinary examination at meat export plants. Beef passed as fit for human consumption is used in the production of processed meat products, or is sold on the home market or on third country markets which accept such beef. Beef condemned as unfit for human consumption is denatured and disposed of to rendering plants.
196.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the reason bovine TB has reached such critical levels of incidence in: (a) Longford and (b) Westmeath.
While the current levels of bovine TB are unsatisfactory in both counties the more serious situation exists in County Longford which has a disease prevalence (10 per cent) twice that of County Westmeath (4.8 per cent).
Both counties have features conductive to disease spread including fragmented holdings, inadequate fencing and a high volume of cattle movement. These features are undoubtedly contributing to the persistence and spread of disease especially since testing has been particularly intensive in Longford and Westmeath over the past two years. With a view to reinforcing the intensive programme currently in operation in the midlands, a stricter interpretation of tests results has been introduced in Longford and investigations into a possible link between wildlife and disease spread are also being carried out in both counties.
197.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the percentage of herds tested in: (a) Longford and (b) Westmeath in the current year and the previous year.
199.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will outline the procedures in (a) Longford; and (b) Westmeath used to inform farmers of results of post mortems carried out on bovine TB reactors.
I propose taking Questions Nos. 197 and 199 together.
The district veterinary offices make available post mortem results to herd-owners on request. The percentage of herds tested in each county is as follows:
Percentage of herds tested during 1985-86 Programme (June 1985-April 1986)—Longford, 152 per cent; Westmeath, 132 per cent. Percentage of herds tested so far under the current Programme (April 1986-mid-October 1986)—Longford, 84 per cent; Westmeath, 44 per cent.
198.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will confirm the following: (1) that 5.92 per cent of the herd is locked up in Longford; and (2) that 4.25 per cent of the herd is locked up in Westmeath; and whether the percentage figures related to a percentage of the total herd in those areas or to the herds tested in those areas.
The figures quoted refer to prevalence levels at the end of the 1985-86 round of testing. The up-to-date position is that at 21 October 1986, 379 out of the total of 3,727 herds in County Longford were locked up i.e. a TB prevalence of 10.17 per cent of herds. The corresponding prevalence figure for County Westmeath was 4.80 per cent.