TB cattle controls to be tightened
Farming Minister Jim Paice MP (pictured) has announced changes to the pre-movement testing of cattle to reinforce attempts to control bovine tuberculosis (TB) as part of a number of changes to the government's response to the disease. The changes, which also include changes to the compensation system and will be coming into force from June 1st 2012, include:
- Removing the exemption allowing cattle held on a farm for under 30 days to be moved without being tested, in order to reduce the risk of untested cattle spreading bovine TB when they are moved between different holdings.
- Removing the pre-movement testing exemption for movements within ‘Sole Occupancy Authorities’ that have holdings in high and low risk TB areas.
- Pre-movement testing for cattle moved from higher TB risk herds to agricultural shows where cattle are housed or are held there for more than 24 hours – to reduce the risk of untested cattle, from higher TB risk herds, spreading the disease through close contact with other cattle.
- Discouraging late testing of cattle for bovine TB to reduce disease spread risks for all cattle, by reducing compensation for owners of TB affected herds if tests are overdue by more than 60 days.
Commenting, Mr Paice said that “There is already a comprehensive range of robust TB in cattle control measures in place, but we must continuously look for ways to tighten them if we are ever going to get on top of this devastating disease.”
More information about the changes to TB controls can be found here
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