Welsh College a Victim of Bovine Tuberculosis

WALES, UK - A dairy farm belonging to a Welsh college has been hit with a string of Bovine Tuberculosis outbreaks, leading to large culls.

19 January 2009

1 minute read

Europe

More than 250 cattle have been culled over the past 18 months, including 100 following a single test and farm manager John Owen admits the outbreak has also sapped staff morale, reports Farmers Weekly Interactive.

He says it does not help when nothing is being done about possible wildlife reservoirs of infection, including a large number of badger setts and wild deer. But, according to Farmers Weekly Interactive, he is reluctant to take up the suggestion that the gamma interferon test should be used to pinpoint all infected cattle on the farm.

"We do not want to lose a large number of animals in one go as we want to maintain cash flow, have cows for teaching students and hang on to our quality staff."

The latest figures show that TB has hit the low input spring calving herd most severely. In December it numbered only 86 cows, 42 per cent fewer than in the same month in 2007 and well below the planned total of 180.