The latest figures from the Welsh Government show the number of herds in Wales under restrictions from TB is at its lowest level since 2006.
The Welsh Government has published its quarterly TB data which gives a picture of the disease situation across Wales and demonstrates the progress the Government’s TB Eradication Programme is making.
The data also shows 94.6 per cent of herds in Wales were TB free during the first quarter of 2016, which means over 200 less herds were under restrictions because of a TB incident compared to three years ago.
The Cabinet Secretary said:
“Bovine TB is a serious animal health issue and I am committed to building on our long term efforts to eradicate this disease in Wales.
“I welcome the latest data, which reaffirm the fact we are seeing some progress towards achieving this goal, with a continued downward trend in the number of TB breakdowns.
“Of course the TB picture across Wales is a complex one. It is often assumed the increase in the number of cattle slaughtered means the disease is on the rise. In actual fact the increase in the number of cattle slaughtered is down to changes to cattle controls and surveillance measures, which has improved the way we detect and eliminate the disease in our herds.”
The Cabinet Secretary added:
“Our TB Eradication Programme is making use of the armoury against the disease. This includes the testing of cattle, strict biosecurity, movement control and enhanced management of TB breakdowns.
“This approach is aimed at tackling all sources of infection and is clearly having an effect. The latest statistics show the number of new herds with TB in the 12 months to March 2016 reduced by 14%.
“I will continue to monitor and review the picture across Wales and am committed to taking a science led approach when considering all options on the way forward.”
The Welsh Government publishes its quarterly TB data through the TB dashboard, which provides the information in a visual and easy to understand format. The dashboard shows the disease situation across Wales and demonstrates the progress the TB eradication programme has made.
The TB Dashboard is available here:
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