Tuberculosis Control Order (Northern Ireland) 1999

PART I PRELIMINARY

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the Tuberculosis Control Order (Northern Ireland) 1999 and shall come into operation on 26th July 1999.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In this Order—

• “affected” in relation to any animal or non-bovine animal means affected with disease and includes a reactor;

• “animal” means a bovine animal;

• “approved disinfectant” means a disinfectant approved for the time being by the Department under the Diseases of Animals (Approval of Disinfectants) Order 1972(1);

• “disease” means bovine tuberculosis;

• “carcase” means the carcase of an animal;

• “herd” means—

  (a)

  an animal kept; or

  (b)

  a group of animals kept, managed or housed together,

  on a holding in such manner and under such conditions as will in the opinion of a veterinary inspector minimize the possibility of infection to any other animals whether kept on the same holding or another holding;

• “holding” means any establishment, construction or, in the case of an open air farm, place in which the animals are held, kept or handled and includes land with or without buildings;

• “identification number” in relation to any animal means the number displayed on—

  (a)

  the eartag applied to the ear of that animal in accordance with Article 4.1 of Council Regulation 820/97 and the Cattle Identification (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998(2);

  (b)

  where applicable, the eartag attached to the ear of that animal under the Tuberculosis Control Order (Northern Ireland) 1964 as read with those Regulations;

• “infection” means the infection of bovine tuberculosis;

• “keeper” means any natural or legal person responsible for animals, whether on a permanent or temporary basis including during transportation or at a market;

• “knackery” means any premises or place used for the slaughtering of animals, or the flaying, cutting up or processing of dead animals, the flesh of which is not intended for human consumption and includes a knacker’s yard;

• “non-bovine animal” means—

  (a)

  a deer, a goat, a pig, or a sheep; and

  (b)

  an animal of any other species which presents a serious risk of transmitting the disease to such an animal or to a bovine animal;

• “official test” has the meaning assigned to it by paragraph 1(2) of the Scheme;

• “reactor” means an animal which has given a positive reaction to an official test or such other reaction to the test as shall satisfy the Department that the animal is probably affected;

• “slaughterhouse” means any premises used for the slaughtering of animals the flesh of which is intended for human consumption;

• “suspected animal” means an animal suspected of being affected; and

• “the Scheme” means the Tuberculosis (Examination and Testing) Scheme (Northern Ireland) 1999(3).

(2) In this Order any reference to a herd being affected or suspected or being affected means a herd in which at least one animal is affected or suspected of being affected.

Notification

3.—(1) The keeper of an affected animal (other than a reactor) or a suspected animal shall, with all practicable speed, give notice of the fact to the Divisional Veterinary Officer.

(2) A veterinary surgeon who identifies or examines an affected animal (other than a reactor) or a suspected animal shall, with all practicable speed, give notice of the fact of the Divisional Veterinary Officer.

(1)

S.R. & O. (N.I.) 1972 No. 16 as amended by S.R. 1975 No. 69 and S.R. 1995 No. 467

(2)

S.R. 1998 No. 279

(3)

The Tuberculosis (Examination and Testing) Scheme (Northern Ireland) 1999 is set out in the Schedule to the Tuberculosis (Examination and Testing) Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 1999, S.R. No. 264