ALL CATTLE IN WALES TO BE TESTED FOR BOVINE TB IN 2010

Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones has announced that, in order to continue to identify and remove all sources of infection, all cattle in Wales will be tested for bovine TB in 2010. The Minister today (8 July) attended the Rural Development Sub-Committee to provide an update on the TB Eradication Programme.

Health Check Wales, a 15-month initiative to test all cattle herds in Wales which ends in December 2009, is proving successful in identifying and removing disease more quickly.

The new TB testing regime will apply while data from Health Check Wales - the testing of all herds in Wales between October 2008 and December 2009 - is analysed. All herds in Wales will now also have to comply with pre-movement testing requirements.

The Minister also announced that, in future, the Welsh Assembly Government will not be calculating bovine TB testing intervals on a parish level.

The Minister said: "I have made clear from the outset that the success of the TB Eradication Programme depends on a comprehensive approach which tackles all sources of infection.

"As part of Health Check Wales, we have identified and we are removing new cases of bovine TB in herds that may not have been tested until 2012. This demonstrates the need for more frequent testing in areas which are currently only tested every two, three or four years.

"Next year, all herds in Wales will move to an annual testing interval and will need to comply with pre-movement testing requirements. This will reduce the risk of disease spread through cattle movements while we analyse the full results of the TB Health Check Wales.

"During 2010, we will use Health Check Wales data to determine the geographical basis for the testing regime for 2011 onwards. I can confirm that in future we will not be calculating bovine TB intervals on a parish level.

"I realise that the change to annual testing and pre-movement testing across Wales will have an impact on how farmers manage their businesses. When I announced the TB Eradication Programme in April 2008, I stressed that it will only work if all those involved are willing to play their part. I hope by announcing annual testing today, farmers and vets can make plans now for the future."

The Minister also provided an update on progress of the TB Health Check Wales, which began in October 2008 and ends in December 2009. TB Health Check Wales is ahead of schedule, with 83% of additional tests completed. As a result of the programme, up until the end of June this year, 77 additional breakdown herds were disclosed that would not have been identified otherwise for some years.

Further information: Rebekah Tune on 02920 898490

Notes

Further information about the Welsh Assembly Government TB Eradication Programme can be found here: www.wales.go.uk/bovinetb

· TB Health Check Wales is a one-off test of all cattle in Wales between October 2008 and December 2009 aimed at finding and dealing with the disease quicker,.

· Data from Health Check Wales will be available in Spring 2010. This initiative is additional to routine testing and did not change the frequency level for routine testing.

· Annual testing all herds in Wales in 2010 will allow time for a full analysis of the disease picture captured from the TB Health Check Wales and inform future policy on testing.

· The Tuberculosis (Wales) Order 2006 requires pre-movement testing of cattle when moving from a one or two yearly testing area. Because we will be testing all herds in Wales in 2010 on an annual basis, this makes the Order applicable to all herds in Wales.

· The calculation of the testing interval has traditionally been based on parishes. The European Commission has requested that we look at calculating testing intervals on a larger scale and this is being consider by officials.