Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 12 Dec 2000

Vol. 528 No. 1

Written Answers. - Bovine Disease Controls.

Desmond J. O'Malley

Ceist:

153 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of cattle slaughtered under all BSE depopulation schemes in each of the past six years including 2000 to date; and the fee paid by his Department in each year for each slaughter. [29648/00]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

The following table shows the number of cattle slaughtered under all BSE depopulation schemes in each of the past six years:

Year	BSE Negative Suspects On Farm Slaughter	BSE Positive Suspects On Farm Slaughter	Herd Depopulations	Cohorts/Progeny	Total
1995	–	16	3,212	22	3,250
1996	71	73	11,591	224	11,959
1997	112	77	8,296	272	8,757
1998	106	79	8,517	478	9,180
1999	106	91	11,351	287	11,835
2000 to date	196	126	11,856	336	12,514

The fee paid for each slaughter at the meat plant was £50 per animal until February 1998 when it was increased to £60. In cases where an animal is diagnosed with BSE, it is slaughtered on the farm of origin. The remainder of the herd is sent to a designated slaughter plant, slaughtered and sent for destruction. The slaughter of these herds is governed by Commission Regulation No. 1112/97. Article 1.2 of the regulation stipulates that no part of the animals slaughtered shall enter the human food or animal feed chain or be used for cosmetic or pharmaceutical purposes. The slaughterer is allowed retain the hides for leather production only. To this end the internal surfaces of the hides of these animals are stained to prevent harvesting of gelatine and other products that might potentially be used for animal feed or human food products.