BSE move will save Irish more than €1.7m

IRISH farmers will save more than €1.7m per year from July when new EU laws raise the age for BSE testing of slaughter cattle from 48 to 72 months.

IFA animal health project team chairman John Waters said the extension of the testing age removes more than 85,000 animals from the BSE test requirement.

EU member states agreed the measure based on food safety evidence from the European Food Standards Agency