The level of brucellosis, the cattle disease which almost lost Ireland the right to sell dairy products or live animals abroad six years ago, has been dramatically reduced in the Irish herd.
Brucellosis causes cows and heifers to abort and can be passed to humans in contaminated unpasteurised dairy products or by direct contact.
Minister for Agriculture and Food Mary Coughlan yesterday announced what she called a continuing dramatic improvement in brucellosis levels in cattle in Ireland. Ms Coughlan said the situation had improved significantly since 1998 with the number of laboratory positives falling from 6,417 in 1998 to 664 last year.
"This progress was continuing in 2005 and during the first six months of the year, there were only 96 new herd restrictions compared with 153 in the same period in 2004; 12 herds were depopulated in 2005 compared with 44 in the same period in 2004," she said.
The Minister added that some 922 animals were removed as brucellosis reactors, or animals in contact with infected animals, in the first half of 2005 compared with 4,004 in the same period in 2004. "We have made remarkable progress within the past few years in tackling this disease, which has long been a scourge of many farmers.
"It is, however, vital that we continue to recognise brucellosis as a highly contagious disease and that we do not relax or relent in our efforts to eradicate it from our national herd," she said.
Ms Coughlan listed the co-operation of all parties with the eradication scheme, the tightening of illegal cattle movements, the regulation of deals, prosecutions for breaches and the imposition of penalties as key factors.