Bovine TB: First TB Advisory Group meeting - Friday 3rd November 2006
Meeting summary
Chairman’s welcome
1. The Chairman welcomed everyone to the TB Advisory Group’s first meeting. He confirmed that, whilst Defra would identify issues on which they wanted advice, the Group was not limited to this. If there were other issues on which the Group felt they could advise the CVO and Ministers to help tackle bovine TB they are able to do so. The Chairman is able to draw on experts as necessary.
2. The Chairman also confirmed that the Group was set up to advise on policies in England but recognised that they needed to build links with Wales and Scotland to ensure a joined up approach.
3. All members agreed the Terms of Reference on which they were appointed.
Disease situation
4. To set the scene the Group discussed the overall disease situation, including the current TB statistics, and existing and recent policy developments and the rationale for Government intervention in control of the disease.. The Group were also made aware of other relevant Defra working groups. The Chairman stressed the value of being aware of these groups, as well as of meetings held by stakeholder organisations. The Group agreed to initially focus their advice on aspects of the cattle control and surveillance programme in England.
Pre-movement testing
5. The Group was invited to consider and comment on the practical delivery and impacts of pre-movement testing, both in terms of the current policy and looking ahead to extension to all cattle over 42 days of age next March. Conditions for and uptake of Exempt Finishing Units was one area of interest. The Group agreed to provide advice after Defra’s meeting with stakeholders on 1 December, at which the Group would be represented. Papers would be send out in mid-November.
Biosecurity
6. The Group were given an overview of developments in improving biosecurity advice in relation to TB. The Group would want to look at any draft advice from Defra in the wider context of herd health planning work and the EIG’s initiatives. Defra’s bTB Husbandry Working Group were developing options for practical on-farm biosecurity advice. This work fitted in with the Defra-wide strategic farm health planning. The Group were then invited to advise on options for creating demand and encouraging uptake of biosecurity advice amongst farmers (particularly in high incidence areas). The Group were asked to provide their advice in January 2007 once the bTB Husbandry Working Group had produced its final guidance.
Other issues
7. Philip Comer (DNV Consulting) joined the meeting to seek members’ views on veterinary capacity in England ahead of delivery of Phase II of pre-movement testing to all cattle over 6 weeks old in March 2007. This would inform the report that he had been commissioned by Defra to do. The Group suggested two factors needed to be taken into account: seasonality of movements (large movements took place at certain times in the year) and costs of tests (smaller farms, testing fewer animals would have higher costs).
8. The Group also discussed a number of administrative and working arrangements and the importance of getting their outputs in the public domain as soon as practicable. Summaries of all TB Advisory Group meetings will be published on Defra’s website together with other information on the Group.
9. The next meeting will take place on 5 December. The meeting was expected to focus on pre-movement testing.
Those present:
Peter Jinman (Chairman)
Brian Jennings
Bill Madders
James Kirkwood
Andrew Cunningham
Philip Comer (DNV Consulting) attended part of the meeting
Katrina Williams (Defra) attended part of the meeting
Catherine Browne (Defra) attended part of the meeting
Benika Raybould (Defra) attended part of the meeting
Helen Ainsworth (Defra)
Teresa Filley (Defra, TB Advisory Group Secretary)
TB Advisory Group Secretariat
30 November 2006
Page last modified:
1 December 2006