11 Sep CPD day report
XL Farmcare UK recently convened a further bovine TB CPD day at Yarnfield Park in Stone, Staffordshire. The day aimed to provide CPD with a practical focus to help encourage and equip vets to help their clients address the risks of bTB in their herds.
Clare Wade of Defra’s policy team opened the morning session with an update on the more recent policy changes in England. This included information on the introduction of enhanced Approved Finishing Units (AFUs) in the HRA to maintain options for cattle from TB restricted herds to be traded.
Berwyn Clarke, of the company ‘PBD Biotech’, explained how the Actiphage viral phage test for bTB is being developed and used in some herds as a supplementary test to help detect and remove disease from the herd. This test is available for any private practitioner to consider but in common with one or two other, more recently developed, diagnostic tools its use is strictly controlled by APHA. If you or a colleague wish to know more about how you might apply the Actiphage test then PBD Biotech are happy to help and all testing must only be conducted after permission has been granted by APHA.
Sarah Tomlinson, the lead vet engaged in the delivery of the ‘TB Advisory Service’, explained the progress of the farm visits and advice being delivered in an effort to increase resilience to bTB impacts in cattle herds. Getting farmers engaged in accessing specific advice on TB resilience has been challenging and Sarah explained that several private practices have now begun to train their own staff such that they too can offer the service to their own pool of clients. Funding has been channelled such that private practices can now receive payment themselves rather than referring any enquiries to an alternate supplier.
In the afternoon session wildlife ecologist Andy Robertson, of Exeter University, gave a lively and interesting presentation on the role of wildlife in bTB transmission. Badgers certainly have an interesting ecology and learning as much as possible about their habits and preferences helps to inform farmers and vets on the best way to limit the role of the badger in the transmission of bTB. Andy also promoted a website he manages called the ‘TB Knowledge Exchange’. This is certainly worth a visit as it is an extremely useful resource for both vets and farmers alike.
To conclude the day Dick Sibley, of Westridge Vets in Devon, gave a fantastically thought provoking update on how he has worked with several clients to help them try to regain their TBfree status after prolonged herd breakdowns. He drew attention to how the rules of nitrate vulnerable zones have encouraged farmers to move manure from one farm to another, often without considering the attendant risks of moving mycobacteria. The images of tanks of slurry travelling down Devon lanes raised awareness surrounding how in-depth any consideration of all aspects of biosecurity must be. Its not all about the badgers!
Attendees left the day with an increased knowledge of how to help their clients tackle bTB and, we hope, feeling more empowered to take an active role in bTB control over and above delivery of the skin testing service to their clients. The TB Advisory Service can be helpful in providing extra support for at risk farms.