Advice for cattle keepers on Anglesey to help keep TB incidence low

14 Mar 2023 11:29 AM

Cattle keepers on Anglesey will receive additional advice over the next few days to help keep TB incidence on the island low.

Surveillance data shows that for the year to 30 September 2022, the average number of open breakdowns at the end of each quarter was 6. This compares to 5.5 for the previous year and 3.25 for 2017.  

Although these figures remain reassuringly low, compared to other areas of Wales, the recent rise in incidence and prevalence is a cause for concern, along with increasing disease confirmation rates and numbers of cattle culled for TB control reasons.

These early trends are suggesting that this may be another area with emerging bovine TB, following on from now established clusters in rural Wrexham and more recently in Denbighshire and the Conwy Valley.

To stay ahead of the disease picture in Anglesey and to protect the wider lower incidence areas of North Wales, additional disease control measures are being considered and developed.

While these measures are being developed farmers are being asked to do the following to help protect their herd:

• If you need to purchase cattle, make sure you understand the TB status and history of the herd and area you are buying from. Be mindful of individual animals’ TB testing and movement history. ibTB (ibtb.co.uk) is a useful online interactive mapping tool set up to help cattle farmers and their vets understand the level of bovine TB in their area and manage the risks when purchasing cattle.
• If you bring cattle into your herd, make sure they are isolated pending Post-Movement Testing (if applicable).
• Ensure your herd is protected from disease by putting in place high standards of biosecurity. Your private vet will be able to advise you of measures you can put in place to protect your herd.
• If your herd has a TB breakdown, take up the free Cymorth TB veterinary visit offered to you. This will help support you with practical information to help eradicate TB from your herd at the earliest opportunity.

There have been no TB positive badgers identified as part of the Badger Found Dead Survey on the island.

Minister for Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths said:

All cattle farmers on Anglesey will receive a letter over the next week advising them of the measures they can take now to protect their herd.  Numbers are reassuringly low compared to other parts of Wales, but we are taking action now to keep it that way as figures show a rise in the prevalence of the disease.