Brucellosis to be eradicated soon

THE total eradication of brucellosis from the cattle herd within the next two years is now a realistic objective, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association has predicted.

However, ICMSA Dairy Committee chairman Dominic Croinin said eradication must be pursued vigorously given the serious problems and hardship the disease has created for farmers in the past.

He said the Department of Agriculture and Food has confirmed to the ICMSA that the number of reactors had fallen from 6,500 in 1998 to just 211 in 2006, while full depopulations had fallen from 328 to just three over the same period.