Farming Express. Page 7
Farming News
Bovine TB results in slaughter
of 96 cattle a day
A total of 96 cattle animals a day were
slaughtered because of bovine TB
during the first four months of 2013,
according to DEFRA's latest statistics.
There were 12,006 cattle killed in Great
Britain between January and April 2013
as a result of the disease.
The bulk of these were in England,
which saw 9,503 cattle slaughtered
either as reactors or direct contacts.
The figures show a small drop on the
same period in 2012, which saw 12,279
animals slaughtered.
However, DEFRA has pointed out that
the TB incidence rate - defined as the
percentage of tests on officially TB-free
herds that resulted in the TB-free status
being withdrawn - went up from 3.8%
in April 2012 to 4.1% in April 2013.
DEFRA farm minister David Heath
said: "Once again these figures show
the very real need to stop TB from its
relentless march across the countryside.
"Every month thousands of animals
infected with TB are sent to the
slaughterhouse at huge cost to the
farming industry and the taxpayer.
"That is why we have launched our TB
eradication strategy, setting out our plan
to make England TB-free within 25
years. Bovine TB is the most pressing
animal health problem in the UK,
threatening cattle farmers' livelihoods,
our farming industry as well as the
health of wildlife and livestock and we
must do all we can to get on top of it."
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