DARD is asking the EU for an extra £615,000 compensation fund after it announced cattle which react positively to a second TB test will be taken away and slaughtered from January 1 2010.
The department say it has revised its approach to TB testing in a drive to further reduce incidences of the disease in Northern Ireland and to meet the conditions of the 2010 TB Eradication Plan recently approved by the EU Commission.
To date DARD has permitted three consecutive failed TB tests before the animal has to be taken away for slaughter, but under the new conditions that will change to two.
However, the announcement has been criticised by Ian Paisley Jnr, chair of the Assembly's Agriculture committee, who said he is not convinced by DARD's "slapdash approach."
Mr Paisley said: "Whilst I welcome any measures to reduce TB in Northern Ireland I am not convinced by DARD's slapdash approach in this matter. 
"I don't want to be sitting here in five years time examining the failed results of endless surveys and inappropriate action, while a high TB rate remains.
"What we need is effective, strategic and robust action with time-lined and measured targets to eradicate this disease. We need more than this finger in the air approach by DARD, as this type of action, to date, has seen the potential eradiction of TB go so slow it is in reverse," said Mr Paisley.
DARD anticipates that an extra 400 cattle will be taken out of the system in 2010 using this new approach, which will result in a consequential rise in the recorded incidence of TB in Northern Ireland.
It is thought up to 12,400 TB reactors in Northern Ireland will be slaughtered in the 09/10 financial year, at a cost to the department of up to £13.2 million.
Minister of Agriculture, Michelle Gildernew, said: "These revised arrangements will apply to animals that test inconclusive for the first time from January 1 2010. 
"From this date onwards those animals will be removed as reactors and slaughtered, should they give an inconclusive result to a second consecutive TB test. 
"Animals that test inconclusive, for a first or second time, before January 1 2010 will not be affected by this change and may be allowed a third consecutive test.
"The revised approach to second time inconclusive animals is being made to ensure that we comply with EC Directive requirements; and meet the conditions of the 2010 TB Eradication Plan recently approved by the Commission. 
"This will allow DARD to secure part of the total 10 million euro co-funding which has been made available to the north of Ireland, England and Wales by the EU Veterinary Fund to help the fight against TB.
"While these revised arrangements will result in a consequential rise in the recorded incidence of TB, we need to adopt a robust approach if we are to seriously tackle this disease and we anticipate that this action will contribute to the ultimate eradication of TB in the future," said the Minister.

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