Minister Muir announces revised criteria for Alternative Control Herds for cattle in Northern Ireland
Date published:
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir MLA has today announced his Department’s revised criteria for Alternative Control Herds (ACHs) to facilitate cattle movements out of bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) restricted herds under certain conditions.
ACHs have the potential to alleviate issues of overstocking within herds suffering a bTB breakdown.
The TB Partnership Steering Group’s (TBPSG) Blueprint for Eradication, published in April 2025, included plans for a review of existing ACH criteria and for DAERA to seek a way forward on removing barriers to implementation. This review has now taken place and the new criteria have been co-designed by the Department and the TBPSG.
The successful implementation of ACHs will provide a mechanism to enable moves from bTB restricted herds into these units under a business-as-usual process and thus remove potential welfare concerns where facilities, housing or labour resources may be inadequate within herds suffering a bTB breakdown.
Two main types of ACHs are available:
- Controlled Finishing Units (CFUs) provide a mechanism to rear and finish cattle from bTB restricted herds and;
- Calf Rearing Units (CRUs) provide an outlet for the rearing of low-risk young cattle (up to 60 days old) from bTB restricted herds.
Minister Muir said: “Bovine TB continues to have a significant impact on farm businesses, and these criteria will provide a carefully controlled option to help manage surplus cattle from restricted herds. Controlled Finishing Units and Calf Rearing Units will operate as bio-secure, non-grazing establishments, subject to strict biosecurity requirements, veterinary risk assessment and Departmental oversight.”
The Minister concluded: “My Department will now work closely with industry, veterinary colleagues and delivery partners to support implementation and ensure these arrangements operate effectively and safely.”
Further information, the relevant Conditions of Operation for each type of unit and the application forms are available on the DAERA website: Alternative control herds.
Notes to editors:
- The revision of the criteria for ACHs seeks to remove barriers to uptake and was a key recommendation of the TB Strategic Partnership Group and, consequently, was included in both the 2022 Strategy and the TB Partnership Steering Group’s Bovine TB in Northern Ireland: Blueprint for Eradication.
- The roll out of the revised approvals will reduce risk of any disease spreading within and from the receiving herds, by implementation of veterinary risk assessments prior to movement from TB restricted herds, and strict biosecurity requirements for the receiving herds.
- The changes do not require a legislative change.
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