New cattle TB controls come into force in England and Wales

New rules for controlling bovine TB in England and Wales have come into force today, the government opened a consultation to develop cattle controls aiming to achieve TB free England by 2038.

Defra invited views from stakeholders on the impacts of a proposal to abolish the TB pre-movement testing exemption for movements within Sole Occupancy Authorities (SOAs) situated in annual TB testing areas in England.

Between November 2013 and January 2014, Defra consulted on proposals to:

- Remove the pre-movement testing (PrMT) exemption for movements of cattle to and from common land.

- Phase out the practice of partially de-restricting TB-restricted premises we are on track to achieve this by 1 October 2014.

- No longer allow TB Isolation Units following the previous consultation, and further consideration of the implications for disease control, Ministers have concluded that the option of establishing a TB Isolation Unit should continue to be available. However, the operating rules will be tightened such that from 1 October 2014 new TB Isolation Units will only be approved if they are clearly separated from the main herd, including by being registered to a different County Parish Holding (CPH).

- Revise The Tuberculosis (England) Order 2007 to make it clear that wild and untestable cattle may be compulsorily slaughtered the Order was amended to reflect this change on 6 April 2014; and

- Publish location details of bovine TB breakdowns as a matter of course we are currently working on the details of this.

"Bovine TB is the most pressing animal health problem in the UK," the consultation document said.

"It is a devastating disease which threatens our cattle industry and presents a risk to other livestock as well as wildlife species (such as badgers), pets and humans. The Government remains determined to tackle bovine TB by all available means, including through enhanced cattle control measures."

Sole Occupancy Authorities (SOAs)

Sole Occupany Authorities (SOAs), a concept created in 2003, permit livestock keepers to link different holdings which fall under their sole management and control. Livestock standstill rules do not apply for movements within a SOA. Similarly, until 2012 TB pre-movement testing was not required for movements of cattle between holdings in the same SOA. There is no distance limit set for holdings within the same SOA.

From today, the reminaing TB testing exemption for cattle moved between holdings that are part of the same SOA will be removed.

The default position will be that cattle moving between holdings within a SOA must be pre-movement tested.

The grid references provided to AHVLA for the locations of the Place of Business for each of the holdings included in the SOA will be used to determine this. In most cases this will be the farmyard, unless the reference for an approximate central point of the fields where livestock graze has been been provided.

De-restriction holdings

Cattle herds are placed under movement restrictions (thereby losing their Officially TB Free (OTF) status) when test positive animals are disclosed through TB testing on the farm, through the identification of TB lesions at routine post-mortem meat inspection and when TB herd testing becomes overdue.

For disease control reasons, negative-testing cattle from TB-restricted herds can only be moved:

• directly to slaughter;

• to other TB-restricted herds (subject to a satisfactory risk assessment); or

• to AHVLA - approved finishing units (AFUs) where the cattle are reared and fattened for slaughter. Cattle from TB-restricted herds cannot be moved to OTF herds.

Partial de-restrictions of holdings suffering a TB breakdown have been allowed in some instances, meaning that separate groups of cattle can be tested clear ahead of the rest of the herd. Negative-testing cattle in the de-restricted part of the holding may then be freely traded.

From today, AHVLA will no longer allow the partial de-restriction of TB-breakdown holdings.

Movement restrictions will apply to all cattle on the holding (CPH) for the duration of the breakdown i.e. until all the animals have achieved OTF status and the restrictions are lifted on the CPH.

"As cattle movements are one cause of TB spread, it is important that there are appropriate controls on movements from one herd to another," a Defra spokesperson said.

"There is evidence that holdings that have been partially de-restricted have a disproportionate number of further TB breakdowns, which supports the concern that the practice is unhelpful from a disease control perspective."

TFA National Chairman Stephen Wyrill said “This flexibility has meant the difference between survival and bankruptcy for many livestock farmers and DEFRA’s plans to remove this flexibility in the autumn is causing great anxiety, stress and concern amongst TFA members”.

In responding to DEFRA’s consultation on the matter earlier in the year the TFA had the following to say about DEFRA’s proposal to abolish partial derestriction:

“The TFA rejects this proposal. The flexibility to allow parts of TB restricted premises to be free of restriction must be maintained. The removal of this flexibility will consign many businesses to collapse. There is no evidence presented which indicates that the use of this flexibility adds to enhanced disease outbreaks and is a step too far.”

“Despite our clear rejection of the proposal it is unacceptable, that without further discussion, the Government has decided to press ahead with such a draconian measure. The TFA and its members fully support measures to ensure that we progress the eradication of bovine TB both through appropriate measures for controlling disease spread between livestock and through control of TB infected wildlife. However, such measures must respect the need for trade to continue within an appropriate risk based system,” said Mr Wyrill.

“There is no justification for a complete ban on partial derestriction. Such a move flies in the face of the Government’s wider agenda of better regulation based on a proper analysis of risk. In applying an outright ban on partial derestriction many farm businesses will be condemned to become unviable which is also contrary to the Government’s determination to assist the industry in becoming more resilient,” said Mr Wyrill.

“The Government’s decision is not based on sound science. Currently, animal health staff work with producers locally to determine whether or not partial derestriction is appropriate, reasonable and without significant risk. It is at the local level where decisions can be made on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration all relevant factors,” said Mr Wyrill.

“I am asking that DEFRA reverses its decision on a complete ban on partial derestriction and instead works with the industry to ensure that the framework within which local animal health officials assess applications for derestriction are as robust as necessary to minimise the risk of disease spread,” said Mr Wyrill.

Cross Compliance Rules

Timely bovine TB testing of cattle herds is a key biosecurity and disease control measure. Cattle keepers who fail to complete their TB tests on time increase disease risks not only for their own herds but also for all their neighbours. Since 1 January 2014 cattle keepers in England who fail to complete routine TB surveillance or check tests by prescribed deadlines face having their farming subsidies reduced under a ‘zero tolerance’ approach. AHVLA provide the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) with details of all farmers who have not arranged for TB surveillance and check tests to be carried out by the due date.

Using the existing cross compliance rules, RPA apply a percentage reduction to the CAP Scheme payments (including Pillar 1 - Single Payment Scheme (SPS) and Pillar 2 - Rural Development Scheme payments) claimed by those farmers who have not completed their herd’s TB test by the due deadline. The level of reduction depends on how long the test was overdue, and other relevant criteria such as repeated instances of overdue testing.

"From 1 January 2015 we aim to extend our ‘zero tolerance’ cross-compliance approach (currently only relevant for TB surveillance and check tests) to include all types of TB tests," Defra said.