Wales sees 10% decrease in new herd TB incidences

During 2019, there were 5.8 new herd incidents per 100 Officially TB Free herd tests - the lowest for 15 years
During 2019, there were 5.8 new herd incidents per 100 Officially TB Free herd tests - the lowest for 15 years

Wales has witnessed a 10 percent decrease in new herd TB incidences over the last 12 months, new figures by the Welsh government show.

The figures have been released as part of the Welsh government's annual statement on the Bovine TB Eradication Programme.

In the 12 months to August 2020, there were 5.8 new herd incidents per 100 Officially TB Free herd tests, which is the lowest annual level of herd incidence for 15 years.

95.0% of herds in Wales were free of TB, which is higher than August 2019 and has been on the upward trend since January 2019.

There was also an 18 percent reduction in the number of cattle slaughtered as a result of bovine TB, down to a total of 10,462 cattle.

NFU Cymru said the annual statement painted a 'positive reflection' on the efforts of Welsh farmers, technicians and vets to combat the disease.

But the union said it was 'troubling' to still see an 'enormous' number of animals falling victim to bovine TB in Wales.

NFU Cymru Deputy President, Aled Jones said: "It’s a stark reminder that there is still much work to do if we are going to eradicate this disease from the Welsh herd."

Despite the progress made, NFU Cymru believes that an 'all options approach' which looks to address the reservoir of disease in wildlife alongside cattle controls and measures is 'the best route' to tackle the issue.

"The union’s desire to see the disease tackled across all its vectors is supported by scientific evidence," Mr Jones said.

"We saw a Defra-commissioned report that revealed an average reduction in the incidence of bovine TB of at least 40% in areas of England that have completed at least four years of culling.

"We also know that just across the border in Gloucestershire, the Downs Report showed a 66% decline in new TB breakdowns," he noted.

The Welsh government has set targets for TB eradication, which, if achieved, could lead to Wales becoming Officially TB-Free (OTF) by 2041.

The targets, covering six-year periods, are set for three TB incidence areas in Wales – high, intermediate and low – and specify overall reductions in herd incidence.