Vol. 517 No. 3
137 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the degree to which bovine tuberculosis is on the decline; the divergences, if any, from established trends; the reasons, if any, identified for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9952/00]
The position in relation to bovine TB is that significantly higher numbers of reactors were disclosed throughout the country in 1998 and 1999 than in the preceding years. Coincidentally, there have also been increased levels of disease disclosed in Northern Ireland and in parts of Britain. Veterinary experts both here and in the UK have not as yet established the precise reasons for these increases but among the factors considered to be involved are the cyclical nature of the disease, higher cattle numbers, higher stocking density, poor weather conditions which may have made animals more susceptible to the disease, some fraud and infected wildlife.
138 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the position in relation to brucellosis testing; if the disease is on the decline; if any other trends have been illustrated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9953/00]
Following a period where the incidence of brucellosis was relatively stable, the situation deteriorated in 1996, 1997 and 1998.
In view of the deterioration in the incidence of the disease, it became necessary over the past two years to introduce a number of new measures to control the disease. These measures included the introduction of a 30-day pre-movement test from 23 February 1998 for all female cattle over 12 months of age and bulls over 12 months of age being moved into or out of holdings, other than direct to a slaughter premises.
More recently, a number of initiatives were introduced in order to further enhance the eradication programme. These include the taking of blood samples from cows at slaughter plants and increased use of the milk elisa test which is more specific, less false positives, and more sensitive, less false negatives, than the milk ring test. The serum agglutination test used on blood samples analysed at the laboratory is also being replaced by the elisa test.
The full impact of the new measures are being evaluated but already there are signs that the position is improving. The current programme was reviewed by an EU veterinary mission during 1999 and its report broadly endorsed the measures now in place.
