Programme Information

The bovine Tuberculosis Stakeholders Forum was established in 2018. Its purpose is to bring together the Department, Veterinary practitioners, scientists, agriculture business and farming organisations. Informed by scientific evidence, it discusses perspectives that shape current and future eradication policy. Since 2021, the forum has been informed by the implementation, scientific and financial working groups. The forum continues its collaborative approach focusing on reducing disease levels.

The minutes of these meeting are available below.

Minutes of Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum

The implementation working group was established in 2021. Its purpose is to consider the details and practical steps needed to implement the policies set out in the 2021-2030 strategy. The members of the implementation working group include the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, farming bodies, agri-food business and wildlife bodies.

The minutes of these meeting are available below.

Minutes of Implementation Working Group

The scientific working group is comprised of national and international scientists with an expertise in bovine Tuberculosis. Members have a record of scientific publication or are currently employed in research organisations working on bovine Tuberculosis. This working group acts as a valuable resource for the discussion of policy options at the bovine Tuberculosis Stakeholders Forum. It reviews the available scientific knowledge and provides analysis and independent reports to the forum.

The reports published by the Group are available below

The minutes of these meeting are available below

Minutes of Scientific Working Group

The Financial Working Group includes farming body representatives and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Its purpose is to develop a sustainable funding model for the bovine Tuberculosis programme. The group reports to and informs the Bovine Tuberculois stakeholders forum.

The minutes of these meeting are available below.

Minutes of Finance Working Group

Minister Creed welcomes TB Forum Report

Minister Creed welcomes first meeting of the TB Stakeholder Forum

Minister Creed announces Chairman of the TB 2030 Forum

Training for the Targeted Advisory Service on Animal Health (TASAH)

The Targeted Advisory Service on Animal Health (TASAH) is a collaborative bovine Tuberculosis biosecurity programme offered for free to farmers by the Department of Agriculture Food and Marine and Animal Health Ireland.

The purpose of the programme is for you to nominate a TASAH trained Veterinary Practitioner and receive farm specific bovine Tuberculosis biosecurity advice. Applying the specific biosecurity recommendations will help reduce the threat of bovine TB entering your farm.

For more information about the benefits for your farm please read our documents below.

Bovine Tuberculosis training for new Veterinary Practitioners

The Bovine Tuberculosis training course is a requirement for new veterinary practitioners who will perform bovine Tuberculosis tests in Ireland. The courses are held during the spring, summer and autumn. The course consists of online lectures, Q&A sessions, practical training, and an online assessment. All course modules must be fully completed. Places are limited, so please book in advance. After the successful completion of this course, new Veterinary Practitioners can contact their local Regional Veterinary Office and request a supervised inspection of their first herd TB test. Training dates are listed below. If you would like to register for a course, please contact: ERADProcure@agriculture.gov.ie

Legislation relevant to the Bovine Tuberculosis and Brucellosis Monitoring Programmes

Programme Legislation

Effective from 1st February 2023

European Union Regulations regarding Bovine TB, require that all animals moving farm to farm or through marts must be tested within a certain time frame.

The Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum has agreed to introduce these requirements on a phased basis.

Initially, the requirements are that:

• Cows of all ages, and males over the age of 36 months that are moving farm to

farm or through a mart must be TB tested in the last six months and

• They must also be moving from a herd that has been tested in the last six months.
• If they do not fulfil both these requirements, they must then be tested, either

within the 30 days prior to movement or within 30 days after movement into the new herd.

Animals that require a test in the 30 days after movement will be restricted immediately to the herd into which they have moved. This herd has 30 days to carry out a test on these animals. If after 30 days, the animals have not been tested, the herd that received them will be restricted. Sale of calves under six weeks of age and the purchase in of animals will be permitted. If after another 60 days, the animals have still not been tested, the whole herd will be scheduled for a TB test. If the moved in animal at any point is slaughtered, the restriction will be lifted, except where the herd has been listed for a full test. This allows the opportunity for cull cows to be purchased, fed and slaughtered without incurring the cost of testing.

Click here to download the information leaflet.