Bovine TB Forum Minutes.pdf

11:00 – 13:15
Location: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine - Backweston Campus

Key Attendees:

Michael Cronin (Chair)
Sean Brady (Implementation Working Group Chair)
Gerard Kiely (Finance Working Group Chair)
John Griffin (Scientific Working Group Chair)
Representatives from Animal Health Ireland, IFA, ICMSA, ICOS, ICSA, UCD, and others

Meeting Summary:

The Chair welcomed attendees and provided an overview of the TB Forum's work to date.
The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed, and action points were discussed.
A disease trends update was presented, focusing on herd incidence data, multifactorial nature of TB, and genetic resistance.
Working group updates were provided, including the introduction of EU Animal Health Law (AHL) pre and post movement test requirements, revised compensation rates, and research funding priorities.

Proposed New Actions:

1. TASAH focus on high-risk herds
2. Work with UCD CVERA to identify TB clusters earlier
3. Further development of Whole Genome Sequencing as an epidemiological tool
4. TB Forum to examine the 'TB Free programme' model being implemented in New Zealand

Action Points:

1. Chairman to write to Minister regarding funding for fencing off badger setts
2. Department to explore presenting TB Maps excluding singleton reactor herds
3. Department to provide information on the source of infection for new breakdowns in 2022
4. Department to circulate papers on TB and slurry
5. Department to find the source of a deer report from a recent RTE broadcast
6. SWG to report on regional approach to eradication at the next TB Forum meeting
7. Provisional report from the Deer Management Forum to be presented to the TB Forum before end of 2023