Bovine TB cattle slaughterings below 20,000 in England

The number of cattle slaughtered in England over the course of a year due to bovine TB has dropped below 20,000 for the first time in 15 years.

The latest official Defra figures on bovine TB show 19,216 TB-infected cattle were compulsorily slaughtered in England between July 2022 and June 2023. This represents a 21% decrease on the previous year.

It is also the first time since January 2008 that there have been fewer than 20,000 TB-related cattle slaughterings over a 12-month period.

See also: Defra ministers mull epi culling to tackle TB spread

In Wales, the number of cattle slaughtered over the same period (July 2022 and June 2023) was 9,529, a decrease of 2%.

In England, the number of new TB herd incidents in the 12 months to end June 2023 decreased by 16% year on year (3,005 to 2,515) with both the High Risk Area and Edge Area showing decreases.

Over the same period, new TB herd incidents decreased by 6% in Wales, as decreases in three TB areas were offset by increases in the other two.

In Scotland, which has had officially TB-free status since 2009, herd incidence and herd prevalence remain very low.

‘Long way to go’

Commenting on the latest Defra figures, Phil Latham a dairy farmer based in Cheshire, who is also a member of the Bovine TB Partnership, said:

“We ought to be celebrating the huge collaborative efforts that beef and dairy farms have undertaken to achieve this success.

“However, bovine TB is still 40 times worse in this country than it was at its lowest levels, so there is a long way to go.

“Hopefully, we will be allowed to pursue the current strategy which is working so well until there are proven, better tools available.”