Policy of culling entire herd following BSE outbreaks is dropped

THE compulsory depopulation of entire cattle herds in which BSE is confirmed is to be discontinued.

It is to be replaced with a partial depopulation regime, Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan announced yesterday in a major policy change.

The policy that saw all cattle in a herd killed if BSE was confirmed in even one of the animals has applied since the disease was first diagnosed in Ireland in 1989.