TB Testing

[jem]

What are the criteria for including animals in a routine herd TB test? Previously the vet has only tested my cow, and not her steers. I assume it is because of their age but is this the case?

[Duncan MacIntyre]

This is from the December issue of "Official Veterinarian" which has not featured in the appropriate round of Have I Got News For You as far as I know. It used to be much more exciting and was called the State Veterinary Journal.

Anyway, it says "Animal Health has recently written to all practices to clarify which cattel should be tested as part of a Routine Herd Test (RHT) for TB.

For clarity, RHT's must include
Breeding bulls, ie entire male animals over 12 months of age unless exempted by the Divisional Veterinary Manager or Regional Veterinary Lead.
Femalaes which have calved.
Young boviners which WILL BE used for breeding and purchased since the last herd test (except calves under 42 days of age)
Pet cows and other non-commercial cattle resident on the holding."

My nit-picking mind asks what age of pet cattle need to be tested - eg pet calves under 42 days, but they won't occur too often !! I suppose that category has been included to make sure there are no loopholes for pet bullocks anywhere, with no breeding cattle at the same location which might mean some small herds of non commercial cattle would never be tested. In normal herds steers would not be tested but the breeding portion of the herd would be being tested, and steers would be going for slaughter and subject to meat inspection.

Duncan

[jem]

Thanks very much Duncan. That explains it perfectly.

[Colin]

Duncan,

That sounds like a significant change in approach, now excluding testing for steers and females born on the farm prior to calving. My previous tests have included the whole herd, except for the young calves.

Regards,

Colin

[Duncan MacIntyre]

Different requirements may have been applied if you were in a 1 or 2 year testing area, or if there had been any local TB incidents - this could affect you even if your own herd had been ok but neighbours had had reactors.

I think that the tighter approach in Wales is viewed as having been well worth while as some new cases have been identified early which might have gone undetected under previous arrangements - so I think the view is that yearly testiing the whole of Wales will take place again in 2010. It makes sense to me to try to pick up any spread early, especially if it is spread by cattle movements into an area where the badgers are not yet infected. If spread into wildlife can be avoided by more frequent testing of cattle that is a very good thing for everyone I think.

I am so grateful to be living and working in an area so free of TB. It makes my blood boil every time I look at the maps with the annual testing areas shown in red. When I was a student in the early 1970's there were literally about a dozen parished still affected by TB, and even back then they knew badgers were implicated. It could and should have been dealt with then, how on earth it can be got rid of now I do not know.

Duncan