Over 11,000 cattle culled in Cavan-Monaghan constituency under TB scheme since 2015

Latest figures show that over 11,000 cattle were culled under TB eradication scheme in counties Cavan and Monaghan over the last five years, according to the latest Department figures.

The official figures were supplied to Deputy Matt Carthy on foot of a parliamentary question.

Department guidance explain that the figures are taken from the Animal Health Computer System (AHCS) and do not include payments that may have been made manually.

They further add that the figures include animals removed following a herd depopulation. Such animals may not have tested positive but were removed for disease eradication purposes.

The Cavan-Monaghan Sinn Féin TD told the Celt that significant sum of money has spent to fund an eradication programme and it doesn't appear to be working. He's trying to elicit as much relevant information as possible to establish the shortcomings in the current system.

“We need to come at this with a fresh set of eyes,” said Deputy Carthy.

From 2015-2019 inclusive there were 5,518 cattle culled under the scheme in County Cavan. The figures vary wildly from year to year, veering from a low of 615 in 2016 to a high of 1,557 in the following year.

Likewise in Monaghan – which had a total of 5,801 cattle culled - there was a low of 538 in 2015 with an almost fourfold increase in 2018 (1,917).

“Crucially farmers need to be seen as partners in resolving the TB issue,” stressed Deputy Carthy, “as opposed to being the people who take the blame or carry the disproportionate amount of the costs or repercussions. There needs to be better dialogue between the Department and farmers in terms of finding a solution.”

Meanwhile 2019 was one of the lowest years on record for the culling of badgers in Cavan, as the vaccination scheme begins in earnest. The scheme had been piloted in certain counties and provided encouraging results that it was just as effective as culling.

In total there have been 1,590 badgers culled in County Cavan over the last eight years as part of the Department of Agriculture's strategy to control bovine TB.

The removals were carried out by Department their officers under licence from the National Parks and Wildlife Service. 2019 saw 176 badgers culled, the second lowest number during the period for which The Anglo-Celt obtained figures - the lowest came in 2016 when 148 badgers were euthanised.

Referring to the 2019 figure, a spokesperson for the Department added: “It should be noted that, in addition to the badgers removed, 42 badgers were vaccinated in Cavan in 2019. This was as a result of the roll out of the badger vaccination programme as announced by the minister at the beginning of 2018.”