Changes to Welsh Bovine TB Rules

From the 17th January 2022, 2 new changes to the rules relating to a bovine TB breakdown will be applied in Wales.

Change 1: Officially TB Status Withdrawn (OTFW) as Standard

All new breakdowns across Wales (with 2 exceptions listed below) will be classified as Officially TB Free Status Withdrawn (OTFW).

There are two exceptions, which will continue to be classified as Officially TB Free Status Suspended (OTFS):

1. OTF herds where one or more suspect slaughterhouse case(s) has been disclosed and culture results are still pending
2. Breakdown herds where non-homebred animals positive to Interferon-gamma and / or IDEXX antibody testing only (i.e. no skin reactors) have been disclosed and disease has not been confirmed on post-mortem examination / culture results.

OTFS herds where the breakdown started prior to the 15th November 2020 will remain OTFS unless any further skin test reactor is disclosed, or epidemiological risk factors apply.

What does this change mean for me?

When a herd is classified as OTFW, two clear consecutive TB tests are required at a minimum interval of 60 days, with at least the first test being conducted at severe interpretation, in order to regain OTF status and for movement restrictions to be lifted.

Additional actions are also taken in an OTFW breakdown. These are:

1. Animals moved from the breakdown herd are traced and tested if appropriate
2. Neighbouring herds are investigated and tested if appropriate
3. Additional animals which are at risk of infection may be considered for slaughter as Direct Contacts
4. Slaughter of the remaining animals in the group or herd may be considered if infection is severe and extensive

Change 2: Inconclusive Reactors

All Officially TB Free (OTF) herds in Wales, in which only Inconclusive Reactors (IRs) are disclosed, will remain restricted until the retest of the IRs, when either:

1. IRs are retested negative and the herd and individual movement restrictions are lifted or,
2. One or more of the IRs become reactors and / or become IRs for the second time (in which case they will now also be considered as reactors) and the OTF status of the herd becomes withdrawn (OTFW).

This also applies to any test where IRs are disclosed in a part test with TT2 date before the 17th of January but the final part test is completed on or after the 17th January.