BVA Calls for Immediate Action to Tackle Bovine TB

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has today urged government to ’take action now to tighten control measures within the cattle population’ based on a regional approach ’which accounts for differences in the local prevalence of bovine tuberculosis’. In conjunction with increased cattle controls, the BVA has also urged government to ’start tackling the disease humanely in the badger population’, arguing that ’waiting another year for publication of the results of the culling trials before taking action will pose a further risk to animal health and welfare’ leading to increased infection within the two populations as well as an increase in the potential risk to human health.

The BVA’s views were set out in a letter to Defra Minister Ben Bradshaw, signed by the new President Dr Freda Scott-Park and immediate Past President Dr Bob McCracken, that argued ’whilst eradication of bTB might not be an achievable goal within the next 10 years, any measures introduced should be aimed at achieving eradication in the long term because bTB costs the industry, government and the tax payer millions of pounds a year.’ To the BVA’s mind the most efficient use of resources would be ’to immediately take action to eradicate M. bovis from the UK herd and to commit further resources to effective vaccine development.’

Enclosed with the BVA’s letter were copies of the Association’s new policy statement on bTB, a list of recommendations for the control and surveillance of the disease, a bTB control and surveillance strategy document and a supporting document to back up the statements and recommendations made. According to the BVA the documents need to be ’read as a collective to provide an overview of the Association’s beliefs and recommendations for the effective and sustainable control of bTB.’