Bovine TB Update

Following the postponed culls in autumn 2012, Natural England has confirmed that West Gloucestershire and West Somerset have met all the necessary criteria to allow the control of badgers in these pilot areas to begin.  Dorset has also been selected as a reserve pilotarea.  Letters from Natural England, sent out to the companies running the cull at the end of February, show the number of badgers to be ‘taken and killed’ within the six week culling period is to be between 2,081 and 2,162 in the West Somerset pilot area and between 2,856 and 2,932 in West Gloucestershire.  The licenses require that at least 70% of badgers are culled with culling due to start in summer 2013. 

Meanwhile in Wales, as from 1^st April additional measures have been put in place to try and address Bovine TB.  The main change surrounds cattle movements from TB restricted herds.  As from 1^st April these must take place within 30 days of a clear test; previously this was 60 days.  Other changes include the phasing out of Approved Quarantine Units (AQU’s) and current pre-movement testing exemptions for common land and markets.

The government is also working on further initiatives to combat the disease, including a dedicated TB epidemiologist to examine clusters of the disease and also providing a programme – ‘TB Breakdown Management’ to support those who have had a breakdown to clear up quicker and prevent re-infection.  Details of these additional measures are expected to be announced shortly.