The Royal Three Counties Show has announced that it has been successful in gaining an exemption for cattle attending the show from Low Risk Bovine Tuberculosis Areas.
This means they will not need to be blood tested for TB when they return from the Show and will be able to move to other holdings once they have complied with any standard movement restrictions, such as the six-day standstill.
Under the terms of the exemption cattle attending Royal Three Counties Show from Low Risk Areas will only be able be present on the showground for 48 hours, being allowed in at 5pm on Thursday 16 June and leaving the show at 5pm on Saturday 18 June, explained shows manager Doreen Smillie-Gray.
"In addition these cattle will be housed separately from those from High Risk Areas and will have to use separate milking and washing areas as appropriate.
"They also have to return to their holding of departure after the show, not a different holding."
'Significant step forward for exhibitors'
Mrs Smillie-Gray said the exemption was a significant step forward for exhibitors from the Low Risk Areas who would, under the existing rules, have been prevented from moving any cattle attending the Show for 60-days after the event.
"This would have lead to management issues on-farm and restricted both any future show attendance and potentially made trading difficult for these exhibitors.
"We hope that those exhibitors from the Low Risk Areas who had entered and been left in limbo waiting to hear whether they could attend or not will now join us and put forward the usual exceptionally high standard of cattle we see every year at Royal Three Counties Show."
The exemption granted for cattle from Low Risk Areas will not affect cattle attending the Show from High Risk Areas and these cattle will remain on the showground for the duration of the Show, leaving as usual on Sunday afternoon, added Mrs Smillie Gray.
"Royal Three Counties Show is just one of three events to have been granted this type of exemption so far this year, offering all cattle exhibitors the chance to market their herds to a wide audience of potential customers.
"Importantly it means cattle from all areas will be able to compete for the prestigious Burke Trophies at Royal Three Counties Show which this year is hosting both the beef and dairy Burke Trophy competitions.
"It is a great honour for Royal Three Counties Show to host both Burke Trophies in the same year and it would have been a great shame had numbers have been depleted by these TB rules.
"Bovine TB is a scourge on the UK cattle industry and all parts of the industry must work together to reduce the devastating impact the disease continues to have.
"We encourage all our cattle exhibitors to ensure they comply with all TB regulations and help their industry move forward."
