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Animal health and welfare

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TB in cattle

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is one of the most difficult animal health problems currently facing the farming industry in Great Britain. The Government is committed to tackling the disease, working in partnership with our stakeholders. This website gives more information on what measures the Government is taking to combat bTB and what further work is being carried out to better understand the disease.

What is bovine TB (bTB)?
Photo of a cow

What is the Government doing to control bovine TB?
The Government strategic framework
 In December 2005 the Government announced new measures to tackle the spread of bTB in England, including the pre-movement testing of cattle, changes to compensation procedures and a consultation on the culling of badgers for control of bTB. Further action to improve the testing of cattle for bovine TB was announced on 10 August 2006, including wider use of the gamma interferon blood test. The new measures build on the Government's TB Strategic Framework, published in March 2005, which aims to bring about a sustainable improvement in control of bTB in Great Britain over the next 10 years. The framework sets out a vision for the future, along with 12 strategic goals, new commitments and principles that will be applied to achieve these.

What testing and controls are in place?
Photo of a tuberculin skin test being taken

 

Bovine TB and badgers
Photo of a badger

Is there a risk to human health or other species?
Photo of a deer

What research is being done?
Scientists in a laboratory

Where can I get more information about bovine TB issues?

Links to other sites:


  

Latest news

29 February 2008 - Table valuations for compensation payable during March 2008 in England, for bovine TB, brucellosis, Enzootic Bovine Leukosis and BSE are now available.

27 February 2008 - The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has published a report entitled Badgers and Cattle TB: Final Report of the Independent Scientific Group (a pdf version is also available). The oral and written evidence (a pdf version is also available) taken by the Committee has also been published. Defra welcomes the report, which Ministers will consider carefully alongside all other available evidence before coming to a decision on badger culling.

26 February 2008 -

20 February 2008 - Provisional TB statistics for Great Britain are now available for December 2007.

15 January 2008 - Information Bulletin: Bovine TB Science Advisory Body established.

News archive..

Page last modified: February 29, 2008

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs