Farmers can help wipe out cattle disease, claims North's agriculture minister

A contagious disease which causes cattle to abort could be eradicated in the North, Stormont sources claimed today.

Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew wants farmers to ensure they keep their animals well controlled to tackle brucellosis.

She intends to delay the Diseases of Animals Bill at Stormont to introduce incentives to livestock managers. This would involve linking the amount of compensation paid to farmers whose animals are infected to whether they are properly fenced in.

A Stormont contact said: “We feel we need to raise the incentive around brucellosis to a new level. The push is to go and try and eradicate this disease over a short period of time.”

Brucellosis of cattle is an illness which was eradicated in Great Britain in 1979, but has been reintroduced on several occasions by imported animals.

The worst affected areas in the North are counties Armagh and Fermanagh. No time frame has been set for finally conquering the condition, which has already been defeated in Ireland.

At present all farmers receive 100% compensation if their cattle contract the disease.

The source added: “If someone is particularly sloppy... if they are not properly fenced in it needs some type of sanction.”

Stormont’s Agriculture Committee is to be asked to consider the change in the light of the new disease-free targets.