New bovine TB strategy 'could change everything'

A cattle vet who has studied bovine tuberculosis (TB) for more than two decades says the government's new strategy aimed at eradicating the disease in England by 2038 is "amazing news".

The new multi-faceted approach includes developing vaccines for cattle and badgers, mandatory blood tests, more robust wildlife surveillance and more test choice. The controversial culling of badgers to prevent the spread of TB to cattle was ended by the government last year.

Keith Cutler, who practices in Somerset and Dorset, said the new strategy "could change everything".

But Liberal Democrat MP for Glastonbury and Somerton Sarah Dyke, who has a family farm, said: "Farmers need action now, not in 2038."

In a statement, Biosecurity Minister Baroness Hayman, said: "Our comprehensive strategy will ensure the continuation of the end to badger culling, and prevent the spread of this horrific disease."

Speaking on BBC Radio Somerset, Cutler said: "Today is a momentous day. Hats off to the government for adopting the strategy and refreshing its policy much quicker than was anticipated."

Alongside developing a cattle vaccine against TB, the government is working on a new skin test to detect infected animals from vaccinated animals by 2030.

Cutler said: "There are other tests we have available now, that are validated on the world stage, that have up until now not been permitted to be used."

He said more could now be done to investigate the exact status of herds, to manage and protect them.

Cutler said: "Up until this morning, I've been pretty critical of that [2038] target and saying 'there's no way they are going to achieve that'."

Dyke said the country was still a long way off managing the disease responsible for hundreds of thousands of livestock deaths.

Last year 20,244 cattle were slaughtered in England because of TB.

"It's horrific not only for farmers, but the public purse as well," said Dyke, who is also the Liberal Democrat party spokesperson for rural affairs.

She said the plan was welcome, but the test would be the delivery, adding: "What we should have been doing is looking at a TB plan much, much earlier."

Baroness Hayman said: "Bovine TB has devastated our farming communities, causing heart-breaking losses, uncertainty and financial hardship.

"No farmer should have to accept this disease as an unavoidable part of their livelihood."

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