Cattle dealer avoids jail over TB rule breach

A West Cork cattle dealer who pleaded guilty to moving cattle into a restricted herd, contrary to legislation aimed at preventing the spread of TB, has received a six-month suspended prison sentence.

Andrew Wilson, aged 41, of Kilpatrick, Bandon, Co Cork, pleaded guilty yesterday at Macroom District Court to 10 out of 68 charges of moving an animal into an infected herd on unknown dates between Oct 30, 2008, and Sep 19, 2009.

He also pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to make a herd register available for inspection on July 8, 2009, and Nov 11, 2009.

Veterinary inspector with the Department of Agriculture Louis Reardon said Wilson’s herd was restricted in 2007 after tuberculosis was detected.

He said that when a herd was restricted, no movement of animals was allowed in or out of the herd without a special permit from the department permitting such movement. The purpose was to restrain the spread of disease, the inspector