S.I. No. 177/1960:

BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS (CONTROL OF CERTAIN TESTS) ORDER, 1960.

BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS (CONTROL OF CERTAIN TESTS) ORDER, 1960.

I, PATRICK SMITH, Minister for Agriculture, it appearing to me to be necessary for the purpose of the progressive eradication of bovine tuberculosis, do hereby, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 22 of the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894, and section 2 of the Diseases of Animals (Bovine Tuberculosis) Act, 1957 (No. 14 of 1957), order as follows:

1.--(1) This Order may be cited as the Bovine Tuberculosis (Control of Certain Tests) Order, 1960.

(2) This Order shall come into operation on the 1st day of September, 1960.

2. In this Order--

"the Minister" means the Minister for Agriculture;

"private test" means a test of a bovine animal for tuberculosis other than a test pursuant to the Bovine Tuberculosis (14-Day Test) Order, 1960, or under the scheme for the eradication of bovine tuberculosis which was initiated by the Minister in September, 1954.

3. The following provisions shall have effect in relation to a private test;

(a) the test shall be the single comparative intradermal tuberculin test with P.P.D. Weybridge mammalian and avian tuberculins,

(b) the test shall be carried out by a registered veterinary surgeon,

(c) the test shall not be carried out in circumstances which may affect its accuracy,

(d) the owner of the animal shall inform the veterinary surgeon carrying out the test of the existence of any circumstances of which he may be aware, including the previous use or application of tuberculin or johnin, which may affect the accuracy of the test,

(e) the animal shall be marked at the commencement of the test by means of a tattoo in the right ear,

(f) the veterinary surgeon carrying out the test shall apply the tattoo mark which shall consist of a numeral or numerals indicating the day of the month of the commencement of the test, the identification letter or letters allotted by the Minister to the veterinary surgeon and a numeral or numerals indicating the month of the commencement of the test,

(g) each site at which tuberculin is injected shall be closely clipped, over an area not less than a circle of one inch diameter, immediately before the injection of the tuberculin,

(h) the veterinary surgeon shall make (and shall produce to a veterinary inspector on request) a record with respect to the animal indicating the name and address of its owner, the time and date of the commencement of the test, the premises at which the test was conducted, the description and breed of the animal, the tattoo marks and ear-tag numbers of the animal, its age and sex and the interpretation of the test.

4.--(1) Where a bovine animal has given a positive reaction to a private test--

(a) a person shall not, unless he is unaware that the animal has given such a reaction to such a test, cause or permit the animal to be tested again with tuberculin, and

(b) a veterinary surgeon shall not, unless he is unaware that the animal has given such a reaction to such a test, again test the animal with tuberculin.

(2) Where a bovine animal has given a positive or an inconclusive reaction to mammalian tuberculin in a private test which the animal passed or to which it gave an inconclusive reaction, then, within the period beginning on the commencement of the test and ending on the expiration of sixty consecutive days the first of which is the day of the commencement of the test--

(a) a person shall not, unless he is unaware that the animal has given such a reaction to such a test, cause or permit the animal to be tested again with tuberculin, and

(b) a veterinary surgeon shall not, unless he is unaware that the animal has given such a reaction to such a test, again test the animal with tuberculin.

(3) Where a bovine animal has given a negative result to mammalian tuberculin in a private test, then, within the period beginning on the commencement of the test and ending on the expiration of thirty consecutive days the first of which is the day of the commencement of the test--

(a) a person shall not cause or permit the animal to be tested again with tuberculin, and

(b) a veterinary surgeon shall not again test the animal with tuberculin.

5. The Bovine Tuberculosis (Control of Certain Tests) Order, 1959 ( S.I. No. 102 of 1959 ), is hereby revoked.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 18th day of August, 1960.

PATRICK SMITH,

Minister for Agriculture.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

The effect of this Order is to regulate the testing of cattle for tuberculosis by means of a private test, which is defined as any test other than one carried out under the Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Scheme or the Bovine Tuberculosis (14-Day Test) Order, 1960. The Order requires that the test to be used shall be the single intradermal comparative tuberculin test, that cattle privately tested shall be tattoo marked in the right ear at the commencement of the test, and prohibits retesting in certain circumstances. It revokes the Bovine Tuberculosis (Control of Certain Tests) Order, 1959.