Bovine tuberculosis
In this section you can find the British Veterinary Association’s (BVA) latest advice on bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) – a notifiable disease that impacts on the health and welfare of animals.
Latest news
On 14 December 2011, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman gave the go ahead for controlled culling of badgers as part of the package of measures to tackle bTB. The Secretary of State announced that the approach would be piloted in two areas in autumn 2012.
The aim of these pilots will be to determine the ability of the proposed method of culling - controlled shooting- to remove the necessary number of badgers within an area (70%) to ensure a similar level of success to the Randomised Badger Culling Trials in reducing the infection in cattle herds. The pilots will also assess the humaneness of the proposed culling method.
This announcement follows a consultation on a badger control policy which took place in December 2010, and a further consultation on the guidance which would be provided to the authority tasked with licensing groups of farmers and landowners to carry out strictly controlled culls.
The BVA and the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) provided joint responses to both consultations
The TB eradication programme put forward by the Government in July 2011 sets out the proposed way forward on controlling the disease in the badger population. In addition to policy of badger control, the Government has stated that it would work with the faming industry and the veterinary profession to continue to promote good biosecurity and invest £20 million over the next five years to develop effective cattle and oral badger vaccines as quickly as possible.
Background
bTB is a complex infectious zoonotic disease - which means it can be passed to humans from animals - caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis). It presents a significant risk to animal health and welfare due to an increasing prevalence of the disease in UK cattle herds and other mammalian species, particularly badgers.
It is one of the UK’s most difficult animal health issues, with control measures costing the livestock industry and Government millions of pounds a year.
What the BVA has done
The continuing spread of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) within cattle and wildlife has an unacceptable impact on animal health and welfare and the potential for being a very serious risk to public health.As a result, we have developed
- a parliamentary briefing for MPs
- a BVA tuberculosis policy which calls for the control and eradication of bTB to be based on the application of sound scientific research coupled with the application of sound veterinary epidemiology
- a policy brief on bTB
to provide further information on the disease and prevention and control. This has been developed in consultation with the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA).
BCVA has also produced a Q&A which BVA members may find useful.
Latest legislative developments: Wales
Badger control
BVA and BCVA responded jointly to the WAG Consultation on a badger control policy in the Intensive Action Area which closed in December 2010. The response noted that BVA and BCVA have long argued that bTB cannot be controlled without measures in both cattle and wildlife.
After welcoming the announcement of an order to authorise the destruction of badgers in the Intensive Action Area in March 2011, BVA expressed its disappointment when the WAG then announced a review of the scientific evidence base regarding the eradication of bovine TB in Wales.
Bovine TB in non-bovines
The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) consultation on proposed legislative arrangements for managing and preventing incidents of bovine TB in non-bovine animals, specifically camelids, goats and deer closed in November 2010. BVA submitted a response to the consultation welcoming the WAG’s proposals to deal with the increasing problem of bovine TB in non-bovines more effectively.
Pre-movement testing
Pre-movement testing reduces the risk of spreading bovine tuberculosis through movements of cattle. It is a statutory requirement that all cattle over 42 days old moving out of a 1 or 2 yearly tested herd must have tested negative for bTB within 60 days prior to movement unless the herd or movement meets an exemption.
Further information for veterinarians on pre-movement testing.
Other information