Letter to Stakeholders - Jersey Cattle Society of the United Kingdom

TB Programme
9 Millbank
c/o Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
19 th October 2012
(By email only)
Dear TB Stakeholder
NOTIFICATION OF CHANGES TO TB CONTROLS IN ENGLAND TO BE INTRODUCED
NEXT YEAR
In presenting their Bovine TB Eradication Programme in July 2011, Defra Ministers
recognised that action was needed on badger control but also emphasised their
commitment to continue to enhance TB cattle controls as well as controls for other farmed
non-bovine species. If we are to make real progress in tackling this devastating disease
we need to reduce risks from all possible sources of TB infection. I am writing now to
update you with advance news of changes to TB policies to be rolled out in England in
2013 – these are designed to reduce disease spread risks and ensure our control
framework complies with European law.
Measures to be implemented from 1 st January 2013
1. Changes to routine TB surveillance
We are introducing a new routine TB surveillance regime for England from 1 st January
2013. The intention is to create stable testing frequency areas that do not change year-onyear.
The new regime is compliant with EU law and is a step towards possible future
recognition of some areas in England as Officially Tuberculosis Free.
The TB Information Note (TBIN 04/12) attached provides more information on these
changes.
2. Changes to movement controls for TB-restricted herds
After implementing new cattle movement controls in July 2012, Defra consulted industry
groups with further proposals. As a result, a number of additional measures, endorsed by
the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England, will be introduced. The TB Information
Note attached provides further detail on these changes (TBIN 05/12).
Currently movements from one Approved Finishing Unit (AFU) to another AFU are only
permitted in exceptional cases e.g. in cases of flooding. As a result of representations
received from industry we recognise that it would be helpful to permit the establishment of

a new type of AFU, the ‘rearing AFU’. Operators of these units – to be licensed by AHVLA
– would be permitted to purchase calves from multiple TB restricted herds and (at the
appropriate stage in the production cycle) move them on to a second AFU set up to
receive older stock. This policy change will take effect from the date of this letter.
Measures under development
1. Cross compliance and non-compliance with TB controls
Alongside other measures that have been taken this year to reduce the risk of TB
spreading amongst cattle, we are also strengthening cross-compliance verifiable
standards that are applied when there is overdue TB testing. This will affect livestock
keepers who do not meet the statutory requirements of national TB surveillance testing
and could result in reductions to their Single Farm Payment. The cross compliance
changes will be introduced during 2013, and will be published on the RPA website.
2. A new policy targeted at the edge of the annual TB testing area
We are considering introducing a tailored strategy to tackle the geographical spread of
disease. This could be achieved by introducing a new policy targeted at the edge of the
newly expanded annual testing area for areas that are at risk of geographic spread of TB
in the short to medium term to protect the 4 yearly testing area in short term and to push
back the spread of disease in the longer term. The following measures could form part of
this policy:
Improved collaboration and information sharing at a local level between stakeholders.
Increase our understanding of the factors which are driving the spread of disease at
the edge of high risk areas through enhanced epidemiological investigations.
Increased use of additional diagnostic tools such as the interferon-gamma blood test
to improve our understanding of where disease is currently emerging and to facilitate
rapid clearing of infection when it is identified in new areas.
We will provide further detail on the new strategy early in 2013.
3. Changes to the interferon-gamma testing deployment policy
The way in which we use interferon-gamma blood testing is currently being reviewed. Until
that review is completed, compulsory interferon-gamma blood testing of herds suffering a
new TB breakdown (with OTF status withdrawn) will continue in the four-yearly testing
area of England, as well as in those herds in the newly expanded annual testing area that
in 2012 had been on either 2, 3, or 4 yearly testing.
4. Risk-based trading
A review of options for a bTB risk-based trading system is being carried out during 2012.
The first meeting of an industry-led advisory group focusing on risk-based trading took
place in July 2012. It intends to put recommendations to Defra Ministers by the end of
2012 on both short and longer term measures.

5. Persistent herd breakdowns
We are reviewing the results of a pilot project to develop enhanced management of
persistent breakdowns in order to reduce the duration and severity of such breakdowns.
Revised protocols for dealing with such herds will be drawn up for implementation in late
2012 / early 2013.
6. Development of further measures for dealing with the disease in species other
than cattle (e.g. camelids and goats)
Measures we are considering with the industry include compulsory blood testing of TBinfected
camelid herds under movement restrictions and any animals traced from those
herds, enhanced voluntary TB testing of non-restricted camelids from as soon as possible
in 2012 or early in 2013, updating AHVLA’s guidance on TB in camelids and reviewing
movement restrictions for all non-bovine species to ensure current arrangements are
appropriate.
7. Official Veterinarian training and quality assurance of TB testing
Over the coming months AHVLA will be extending the internal quality assurance of
tuberculin skin testing by Official Veterinarians.
8. Operating conditions for Approved Finishing Units
We will be reviewing the operating ‘rules’ for AFUs, in particular whether allowing units in
certain parts of the country to include grazing land risks undermining the objective of
getting on top of and ultimately eradicating TB.
9. Reduced surveillance testing in Approved Finishing Units
We also recognise that there is scope for reducing the amount of TB testing in AFUs,
particularly those without grazing, and that doing this would reduce burdens for the AFU
operators and also for AHVLA. We are working with AHVLA to consider what testing could
be stopped, with a view to making changes as soon as is practically possible.
Further details will be available on AHVLA’s website on surveillance and movement control
changes.
Yours faithfully
TB Programme