Testing regime will also be changed

Ministers have announced a 'crackdown' on cattle movement in a bid to help prevent bovine TB spreading between cattle.

The new rules will come into force from 1st January 2013 and include alterations to the testing regime and cattle movement restrictions. The region where farms must be annually tested for TB has been extended to encompass ten new counties across England, and farmers who have had a case of TB in their farm will not be allowed to bring in new cattle until the rest of the herd has been tested and a vet has carried out an assessment. Farmers will also have only 30 days to move cattle that test negative for TB out of a TB breakdown farm.

Agriculture Minister David Heath said: "We need to stop the spread of bovine TB, which led to the slaughter of 26,000 cattle in 2011 alone. These strengthened measures, alongside our badger control policy and the ongoing development of vaccines, are about reducing risks from all possible sources of TB infection, to help control the disease and eventually eradicate it."

The announcement comes as the debate over the badger cull continues, with the issue due to be discussed in the House of Commons on Thursday 25th October.