TB in cattle - what you need to know

Just over 3% of herds in Ireland will go down with TB in any given year and on this week’s episode of the Beef Edge Podcast, Catherine Egan is joined by Philip Breslin, Superintending Veterinary Inspector with the Department of Agriculture Food & the Marine to discuss all things related to bovine TB. Philip outlines how the herd test works and why farmers have to do a herd test every year. Wildlife have been shown to play an important role in spreading TB to cattle in Ireland. The department are responsible for removing badgers from areas where there are severe TB outbreaks and introduced badger vaccination in recent years. Philip discusses the Wildlife Unit’s work in reducing the risk of passing infection from wildlife to badgers. Unfortunately, too many herds experience TB breakdowns and farm families are all too familiar with the stress that this can cause. Philip discusses how the proposed new strategy to eradicate TB will reduce the number of affected farms. He also provides some practical tips on what steps farmers can take to reduce the risk of TB in their herd For further information visit: https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/animalhealthwelfare/ For more episodes and information covered on the Beef Edge, visit the show page at: teagasc.ie/thebeefedge