Are TB rates in cattle still trending downwards?

According to Care For The Wild they are (if you read between the lines).

Figures released today by Defra showed that the rate of bovineTB (bTB) in cattle is continuing to trend downwards, although this was not mentioned in the department’s media release.

Defra’s official announcement showed that between January and May 2013,15,250 cattle were compulsorily slaughtered in Great Britain due to bovine TB. Farming minister David Heath said:  “These figures are further proof of why it is so important that we stop TB from spreading across the country.”

However, Defra failed to point out these key points:

• The number of new herd incidents during the period January to May 2013 was 2,246 compared to 2,397 for January to May 2012. This is a 6.3% reduction on the same period in 2012.
• The number of tests on officially TB free herds was 35,337 during January to May 2013, compared to 37,510 during January to May 2012. This is a 5.8% reduction in the number of tests compared to 2012.
• The provisional May 2013 incidence rate is 4.1%, compared to 4.4% in May 2012. This is a 0.3% reduction on May 2012.
• The number of cattle compulsorily slaughtered as reactors or direct contacts was 15,250 during January to May 2013, compared to 15,746 during January to May 2012. This is a 3.15% reduction compared to 2012.

Philip Mansbridge, CEO of Care for the Wild International, said:

“The government’s own figures show that bTB is falling, so you would think they would be celebrating this fact. Strangely though, they aren’t. It’s clear that they are hell bent on appeasing a minority of farmers by culling badgers, even though the statistics say that it isn’t necessary, and the science says that it won’t have any significant impact on bTB.

“We hope that the public can see beyond the government’s PR spin, and we hope that farmers will see that the battle to beat bTB will not be won with guns against badgers. The battle will be won by continuing to implement better farming practices which are clearly starting to make a difference. Don’t slaughter badgers, and your own reputations, with a pointless cull.”

Care for the Wild is a charity based in Sussex dedicated to the protection of wildlife in the UK and abroad. For more information or if you would like to support our work, see www.careforthewild.com

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