A history of bovine tuberculosis eradication policy in Northern Ireland

Robinson, P.A. (2015) A history of bovine tuberculosis eradication policy in Northern Ireland. Epidemiology and Infection, 143(15), pp. 3182-3195. (doi: 10.1017/s0950268815000291) (PMID:25778830)

Abstract

Despite many years of state-sponsored efforts to eradicate the disease from cattle through testing and slaughter, bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is still regarded as the most important and complex of animal health challenges facing the British livestock agricultural industry. This paper provides a historical analysis of the ongoing bTB statutory eradication programme in one part of the UK – Northern Ireland (NI) – which began in 1949 as a voluntary scheme, but between 1959 and 1960 became compulsory for all cattle herd-owners. Tracing bTB back through time sets the eradication efforts of the present day within a deeper context, and provides signposts for what developed in subsequent decades. The findings are based primarily on empirical research using historical published reports of the Ministry of Agriculture and state documents held in the public archives in NI, and they emphasize the need to consider the economic, social and political contexts of disease eradication efforts and their influences on both the past and the present.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Robinson, Dr Philip
• Authors: Robinson, P.A.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Journal Name: Epidemiology and Infection
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• ISSN: 0950-2688
• ISSN (Online): 1469-4409
• Published Online: 17 March 2015