TB in low risk areas

[moomin]

Members in low risk areas should familiarise themselves with the new movement to shows regulations. As the present regulations stand they may only be able to show at one show a year!!! The show societies are seeking clarification of this as it has not been thought through, in fact it is a shambles.
Please check before you send entries in.

[SteveM]

can anyone post a link to the relevent regs.

[moomin]

Google Pre-movement and post-movement testing of cattle in Great Britain.

I have some more news in writing from APHA. "Cattle from holdings under a four year testing regime taken to shows in a four yearly testing area are not affected by the new rules and do not need to be post movement tested".
But if you take cattle to shows in a high risk area then you would need to be post movement tested and those cows would not be allowed to other shows for at least 63 days! This may change as I believe APHA are looking at it again.

Life is not all rosy in low risk areas as they are in line for bluetongue!

Di

[natmadaboutdexters]

This does seem rather bonkers, cattle from one year testing can test and then go to and from shows for the next 59 days without post movement testing but low risk have to test? Another bright idea from DEFRA I guess. What a blow to a lot of shows also as their numbers will be down.

Natasha

[Louisa Gidney]

One could put a positive spin on this, in that those in the low risk area who support the local shows may, for once, have a chance of winning the big society trophies. Perhaps an incentive for some who do not have the resources to exhibit at the big county shows in southern England.

[Jac]

This does seem rather bonkers, cattle from one year testing can test and then go to and from shows for the next 59 days without post movement testing but low risk have to test? Another bright idea from DEFRA I guess. What a blow to a lot of shows also as their numbers will be down.

Natasha

One year testing does not necessarily mean that they are very high risk. All of Wales is on 1 year testing regardless in efforts to stamp out TB before it got into what were previously 4 year testing areas.

Cattle in 1 year areas are pre-movement tested as well as annually tested there is a limit to how many tests an animal (or their owners) can stand. Doesn't bode well for the smallholder show at the RWAS.

[Duncan MacIntyre]

I imagine the new regulations are aimed at reducing the possibility of cattle in low risk areas acquiring TB, ie to lessen the possibility of spread of high risk areas. This has been an aspect just as neglected as badger control for decades - it would of course be unpopular with farmers but the way to have controlled the disease should have been based on control of wildlife reservoir and strict control of movement of cattle from high risk to low risk areas. The government has failed on both counts. Miserably.

Duncan

[justmalc]

Di,

Could you please give me the name of your contact in APHA as they've given me contradictory advice. They're telling me at the moment that I may have to post movement test on the return from shows in 4 year zones even though we're in a four year zone ourselves.

I've just cancelled my entries to Bath and West I'm afraid but was hoping to attend three shows in four year zones without needing to post movement test.

Many thanks,

Malcolm.

[Jac]

Apart from all the ones in Wales, does anyone know which other shows are likely to be affected?

[moomin]

Hi Malcolm, Have sent you a message through the message board, saying if you send me your email I will forward apha email. Don't want to post my email on discussion board!
Di

[jim riding]

just been given this website address by the apha in leeds for tb questions n answers it is www.tbhub.co.uk

[Mark Bowles]

Ted Neal ask me to post this:-

I took this from the Defra TB Hub

Post-Movement Testing and Markets
Q19. Will cattle originating in the LRA, but sold at a livestock market outside the LRA, need to be post-movement tested if they are sold to a buyer who then moves them back into the LRA?
A19. A post-movement test would not be required if the moves to and from the livestock market are direct (i.e. they do not involve a stay at another holding outside the LRA on their way to or from the market).

I read the Farmers Guardian piece and it does seem one rule for shows and one for markets.