Mart sellers advised to check herd status to comply with new TB rules
The new mart grouping system is not based on whether a herd has previously had TB; it is based on your enterprise type and the testing or movement status of the individual animal.
Before bringing cattle to a mart, check your herd's group status on myAgfood.ie to ensure the cattle for sale are within the testing timeframes required by the new Bovine TB Scheme 2026, farmers are advised by Ifac.
The new mart grouping system is not based on whether a herd has previously had TB; it is based on your enterprise type and the testing or movement status of the individual animal.
Marts are now required to verify with the Department of Agriculture’s AIM (Animal Identification and Movement) system that a buyer's herd is an eligible destination before a sale can proceed.
Group 1 includes breeding herds and dairy herds. An animal qualifies as group 1 if it is a young heifer, a non-cow female, or a male under 36 months, tested within the last 12 months, or a cow or male over 36 months with a valid 30-day pre-movement test.
Group 1 buyers can only purchase group 1 animals. According to Ifac, the rationale is straightforward: breeding and dairy herds carry the highest risk of spreading TB if a reactor animal enters, so the strictest controls apply.
Group 2 covers non-milk-supplying, non-breeding herds, typically dry stock or beef finishing farms.
Group 2 buyers can purchase both group 1 and group 2 animals. However, any group 2 animals purchased can only subsequently be moved directly to slaughter. They cannot re-enter the breeding or dairy supply chain.
Group 3 is cattle finishing units (CFUs) approved by the Department of Agriculture.
CFUs can buy animals from any group (1, 2, or 3), but all animals moving out of a CFU can only go directly to slaughter.
Along with reducing the risk of disease spread through marts and breeding herds, the 2026 changes since April 13 in the bovine TB eradication programme focus on controlling animal movements, and new rules where there are large TB breakdowns.
The post-movement test option has been removed for all cows and males over 36 months of age.
All dairy cows moving into a breeding herd now require a 30-day pre-movement test. Contract-reared heifers also now require a 30-day pre-movement test.
Mandatory gamma interferon (GIF) testing has been introduced in large breakdowns of breeding herds (for herds placed under TB restriction on or after April 13, 2026).
A dedicated TB helpline has been set up for farmers who experience a new breakdown, providing guidance on what to expect during the process.
But management of breakdowns remains the responsibility of the local Regional Veterinary Office.
A new service provider has been contracted under the wildlife (badger) programme, to improve wildlife management measures, according to Ifac.
Agriculture minister Martin Heydon last week opened the On-Farm Badger Biosecurity Scheme. It will be open for applications until May 31.
Details can be found at bovinetb.ie.
