Farmers in County Fermanagh have received £28,733,072.50 in bovine tuberculosis compensation since the start of 2021, according to data from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). The figures cover the Enniskillen Divisional Veterinary Office area, which encompasses the county. In the first three months of 2026 alone, £1,868,545 was paid out.

January 2026 saw the largest payment for the quarter at £854,820, with £603,870 in February and £409,855 in March. Compensation is provided when cattle are compulsorily removed after testing positive for TB or as part of disease control measures.

Annual compensation totals have remained consistent: £3.49 million in 2021, rising to £6.78 million in 2024, and just over £6 million in 2025. The highest monthly payment during the period examined was £1.26 million in December 2022.

DAERA statistics also show ongoing disease prevalence. In 2024, 3,344 skin-test reactors were identified in the area, with 449 herds under restriction at year-end. By the end of 2025, restricted herds had fallen to 309, but TB continues to affect farming businesses. In early 2026, 294 animals were slaughtered in January, 240 in February, and 142 in March.

For farmers, the impact extends beyond compensation. Herd restrictions can disrupt livestock sales, delay movements, and affect breeding programmes, while repeat testing adds pressure. The figures are likely to fuel debate on disease control measures and the cost of bovine TB to Northern Ireland's agricultural sector.