The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has published the brucellosis compensation rates for Northern Ireland for November 2025.
The department said that the compensation payable for reactors and negative in contacts for which notice of intended slaughter is issued in November 2025 will be either:
- 75% of the animal’s market value or
- 75% of £3,504 (75% of £3,804 in the case of pedigree animals)
The herdowner will receive whichever is the lesser payment applicable to them.
Brucellosis
Brucellosis is a highly contagious disease of cattle caused by a bacterium which spreads as result of animals coming into contact with infected female cattle, aborted foetuses, or discharged placental tissues and fluids.
According to DAERA, the disease can lead to an abortion storm in infected females and if it becomes established can lead to decreased milk yields, infertility, weak calves, and serious financial loss.
The department added that the disease is particularly dangerous to humans who come into contact with infected animals or material.
Cattle
Over the past 50 years, DAERA has undertaken a programme of compulsory testing of all breeding bovine animals, the removal and slaughter of infected and in-contact animals, the imposition of movement restrictions and follow-up testing on herds thought to be at risk.
Female cattle and bulls over 24 months-of-age are eligible for testing at routine brucellosis blood tests. Cattle do not currently require a brucellosis pre-movement Test.
Farmers are compensated for losses in respect of animals slaughtered under the department’s brucellosis prevention and eradication control programme.
For both reactors and in contact animals, 75% of the animal’s market value based on an individual valuation or on an average of market prices (whichever is the lesser) is paid.
Valuations are carried out by a DAERA livestock valuation officer and, in the case of a disagreement over the DAERA valuation, on a second individual valuation carried out by an independent valuer.
