Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 May 2020
881. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of bovines that failed an on-farm tuberculosis skin test but passed a tuberculosis blood test in each of the years 2015 to 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6177/20]
View answerThe gamma interferon blood test being used is part of the quality control of TB testing and has a correlation rate of approximately 65% with skin testing, meaning that on average around 65% of skin test reactor animals will test positive on the quality control gamma interferon test. If this correlation level is not achieved, the Veterinary Inspector managing the case investigates the matter further.
My Department ensures that on-farm TB testing of cattle by Veterinary Practitioners is carried out to the highest standards. The quality control system has a number of different strands - potency testing of tuberculin batches, testing equipment maintenance requirements, audits on labs and maintenance providers, analysis of testing data for each testing veterinary practitioner, inspections of veterinary practitioners testing, examination of reactors and blood testing of reactors.
