New bovine TB strategy adopted as 20,000 cattle slaughtered in a year

The government has formally adopted a new strategy to eradicate bovine TB in England by 2038, months after the country's long-running badger culling programme came to an end.

The announcement follows a 22% decline in new TB herd breakdowns over the past year, although more than 20,000 cattle were still slaughtered for disease control in the 12 months to June 2026.

Licensed badger culling had already ended earlier this year, with the final licences either expiring or being revoked by Natural England.

No badgers have been culled for TB control so far in 2026, putting England on course for its first year in more than a decade without culling as part of efforts to control the disease.

The government formally adopted the long-term strategy on Thursday, 5 November, following its initial publication in June.

Despite declining infection rates, bovine TB continues to affect thousands of cattle and place considerable financial and emotional pressure on farming families.

Official figures show 20,244 cattle were slaughtered for TB control purposes in England in the 12 months to June 2026, down 4% from 21,126 the previous year.

However, the national decline masks regional differences, with cattle slaughtered in England's High Risk Area rising by 4% to 16,473 over the same period.

For affected farms, a TB breakdown can trigger movement restrictions, repeated testing and the compulsory slaughter of infected animals, disrupting livestock sales, breeding programmes and everyday business operations.

Although farmers receive compensation for cattle compulsorily slaughtered, the wider costs of restrictions, lost production and business disruption can extend beyond those payments.

The strategy was originally unveiled in June following work involving more than 100 farmers, vets, scientists, industry representatives and members of the public.

It represents the first major update to England's bovine TB strategy in 12 years and aims to reduce transmission between cattle, improve disease detection and strengthen locally led control measures.

Biosecurity Minister Baroness Hayman acknowledged the continuing impact of the disease on farming communities.

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

"Our comprehensive strategy will ensure the continuation of the end to badger culling, and prevent the spread of this horrific disease."

A central element is the development of a cattle vaccine, which the government aims to introduce by 2030, although regulatory approval and further testing are still required.

In July, the Animal and Plant Health Agency confirmed that on-farm vaccine trials involving 736 cattle across 11 farms in England and Wales had completed their fieldwork.

The vaccine is being developed alongside a diagnostic skin test, known as DIVA, designed to distinguish cattle infected with bovine TB from those vaccinated against the disease.

This distinction is necessary because vaccination can interfere with existing TB surveillance tests, potentially complicating disease monitoring and international livestock trade.

An application for authorisation of the cattle BCG vaccine has already been submitted to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, while a separate application for the DIVA test reagent is planned for 2028.

The strategy also proposes expanding mandatory government-funded blood testing and piloting additional privately funded testing to identify infections earlier.

The need for improved detection has been highlighted by recent research involving British dairy herds, which found that almost one in five herds officially classified as TB-free returned positive milk antibody results.

Researchers cautioned that a positive antibody result does not necessarily indicate active infection, but the findings raised questions about whether existing surveillance methods could be supplemented.

Alongside cattle measures, badger vaccination will be expanded through the Badger Vaccination Field Force, which is targeting areas where the disease remains a significant concern.

Three new vaccination areas have been established in North Shropshire, North Worcestershire and South-East Oxfordshire, with further expansion planned for 2027 and 2028.

However, the shift away from culling remains a contentious issue within the farming industry, particularly over whether vaccination and other controls can sufficiently manage the risk of transmission from wildlife.

When the strategy was published in June, NFU deputy president Paul Tompkins warned that disease control should remain driven by scientific evidence.

"No single method can eradicate this disease – we need access to every tool which is scientifically proven to work, including very targeted wildlife control where needed," he said at the time.

The union has also raised concerns about ending wildlife controls before cattle vaccination, badger vaccination and an effective DIVA test are fully available.

The British Cattle Veterinary Association has similarly supported vaccination as the main wildlife control measure while arguing that targeted culling should remain an option where local disease evidence supports it.

The association has also called for stronger surveillance of wild deer, identifying them as an emerging concern in efforts to control bovine TB.

Under the new strategy, a government-funded surveillance scheme will begin collecting and testing dead badgers later this month, initially focusing on five counties in England's High Risk Area.

Surveillance projects involving wild deer are also underway in areas including Exmoor, Cornwall and Oxfordshire.

Latest statistics show new TB herd incidents in England fell from 2,451 to 1,907 in the 12 months to June 2026.

The proportion of cattle herds under TB restrictions also declined from 4.2% at the end of June 2025 to 3.4% in June 2026, continuing a downward trend seen in recent years.

Nevertheless, the disease remains a considerable challenge, with the government also examining whether existing compensation arrangements could better encourage disease prevention and biosecurity.

Current compensation payments for compulsory cattle slaughter typically cost taxpayers between £25 million and £30 million net annually, according to Defra.

Ministers say further work is needed to consider whether the system could be made more sustainable, while recognising the financial pressures already faced by affected farmers.

To oversee the wider strategy, the government plans to establish a new industry-government board in 2027, replacing the existing Bovine TB Partnership for England.

The board will oversee delivery, monitor progress and help determine priorities for tackling the disease, with farmers and veterinary professionals expected to play a central role.

An initial delivery plan is due to be published in late spring 2027, setting out the measures needed to work towards England's target of achieving officially bovine TB-free status by 2038.