Bovine TB: Statistics
In using and interpreting the bovine TB (bTB) statistics, please note the following points:
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Data is extracted from the Animal Health (formerly SVS) database (via Vetnet / TB Data Warehouse) on the date specified in the footnotes to the each table.
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All data is provisional, subject to change as more data becomes available.
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The data provided is broken down for each of the five former Animal Health regions, as defined by the Animal Health database. Each region is further broken down by the Animal Health Divisional Offices (AHDOs) within that region.
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In addition, county level data is provided for those counties of England in areas with a higher than average incidence of bTB: Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Avon, Wiltshire, Hereford & Worcester, Shropshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire.
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Data for the former Animal Health Divisions of North Wales and South Wales has also been broken down to county level.
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A proportion of bTB incidents remain unclassified, awaiting the results of culture tests which can take several months. Therefore the number of confirmed incidents will currently be under-recorded. For instance, 14.17% of new bTB incidents in January - June 2008 were unclassified when the data were extracted.
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The number of bTB incidents depends on the number of tuberculin and gamma interferon tests carried out and on the nature of the testing regime at the time (as well as on the underlying prevalence of the disease). During the 2001 FMD outbreak, tuberculin testing was significantly reduced and necessarily targeted to higher risk herds e.g. those tested following routine inspection of animals at slaughterhouses. At any time, the more herds you test, the more likely you are to find bTB.
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Any reactors, inconclusive reactors and direct contacts still awaiting removal and slaughter on the date of the data download were not included in the tables. These only show the number of reactors, inconclusive reactors and direct contacts that had been slaughtered as at the end of the reporting period.
Page last modified:
7 October, 2008