A Monaghan farmer has described the devastation for him, his family and his business, after TB reactors were found amongst his dairy herd. Padraic Greenan's herd was given the all-clear on May 1st but, by September 1st, routine testing meant he had to cull 40% of his stock.
Speaking on the Joe Finnegan Show Mr Greenan said TB has become a "massive concern" for every farm including his. The Ardaghey farmer described what happens when the news every farmer dreads becomes reality. The difficulty mentally begins Padraic said, when his farm was put into lockdown immediately with the only way out for his animals through abattoirs.
He had to watch some of his best cows being led away for slaughter and added to that is the fact that some of them were heavy with calf. Financially, problems begin straight away, too Padraic said. Farmers in his position have to keep cows in until the rest of the herd gets the all-clear, two TB tests away, which are conducted 60 days apart. Feed and accommodation have to be found for the remainder of your herd for 120 days but, two years later you also have the loss of the calves you were expecting to be milking at that time.
"You've got over-stocking because everything still carries on the farm with calves being born and that whole thing going on with overstocking," Mr Greenan told Northern Sound, "then you have to wonder if you have the facilities to hold all that stock, and feed for them also and then, on top of that you have the cost.
"It's not just in that day, you're locked. It just doesn't go away," he continued, "There's a knock-on for months later. Unfortunately, it comes overnight but, it doesn't go away overnight."
