Managing Disease

Managing bTB in Cattle

• Reducing the Risk
• Testing for bTB
• Movement of cattle
• Approved facilities for TB restricted cattle Forms
• Herd Breakdown

Useful Links

Pre-movement / Post-movement Testing

England Wales

All cattle over 42 days old moving out of a 1 or 2 yearly tested herd must have tested negative to a TB test within 60 days prior to movement unless the movement satisfies any of the exemptions.

Scotland

Cattle over 42 days old in 1 or 2 yearly testing parishes must be pre-movement tested before they move from or enter any Scottish herd and also to be post-movement tested between 60-120 days of their arrival in a Scottish herd.

All pre- and post-movement tests must be arranged and paid for by the herd owner. Herd owners are advised to give their own veterinary surgeon (Official Veterinarian) plenty of notice so they can move their cattle when they want to.

Routine TB surveillance tests paid for by the Government count as pre-and -post movement tests for 60 days for animals included in that test. Herd owners are given a copy of all clear test charts, where the herd is eligible to move cattle.

• Exemptions
• Exempt Units

Licences

If your herd is under restrictions, all moves of cattle on or off your premises are prohibited, unless authorised by a licence:

General licences

The following moves are permitted under a general licence:

• Direct to slaughter. This is issued by your local Animal Health Office once all cattle in your herd have been tested.
• On to your premises.This is issued by your local Animal Health Office on a risk assessed basis.

Specific Licences

All other movements require a specific licence issued by Animal health. Please contact local Animal Health Office for more information. All licences require a risk assessment and five working days notice.

Approved facilities for TB restricted cattle

The following facilities may be approved by your local Animal Health office to recieve cattle from TB restricted herds under a specific licence following a risk assessment.

• Movement direct to an Approved Finishing Unit (AFU). (England and Wales) (without grazing). For more information click here
• Movement to an Approved Quarantine Unit (AQU). (England and Wales). For more information click here
• Dedicated TB slaughter markets. (England and Wales). Click here
• Movement to TB dedicated sales markets. (England only). Click here
• Movement from herd dispersal sales. (England only). Click Here
• All Approved facilities for TB restricted cattle Forms

The conditions for approval of these facilities will be reviewed on an  annual basis. The next review will be autumn 2010.

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