February 18, 2008

Cattle imports from Northern Ireland to be tested for bluetongue
 

Republic of Ireland's minister for agriculture, Mary Coughlan, has ordered that all cattle recently imported from Northern Ireland is to be traced and tested for bluetongue.

All cattle from Northern Ireland, other than those to be slaughtered, will now be tested for bluetongue in Ireland, although Northern Ireland remains as bluetongue-free.

This precautionary measure was taken after it has been confirmed that bluetongue has been found across the border in a dairy cow imported from the Netherlands.

The infected cow was one of the 21 heifers imported to a farm last month. The farm is now under restriction and the infected cow has been killed.

Coughlan has discussed the outbreak with Northern Ireland's agriculture minister Michelle Gildernew.

Coughlan said she would apply additional controls considered necessary to lessen risk, and she urged farmers to consider potential risks of importing cattle from bluetongue-affected areas.

The Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) has called for an instant voluntary end of livestock imports until further notice. UFU president Kenneth Starkey said the infected cow has gone through all import control procedures but it did not stop the disease from appearing, which states that current import controls do not guarantee protection.