20 Apr TB Policy and News Updates
ibTB
The central TB information webtool, ibTB has recently been updated. Now, in addition to displaying herds with ongoing and historic TB breakdowns in England and Wales, a new layer on the map also shows the number of years herds in England have been TB-free. This information has been made possible because the TB in Animals (England) Order 2021 includes new provision for sharing more bTB information of this kind.
It is hoped that this enhancement to ibTB will allow farmers to make better informed decisions about TB risk when purchasing cattle.
We understand that Welsh Government hopes to replicate this enhancement to ibTB for cattle herds in Wales and the proposal was included in their recent bTB consultation.
A short video describing how to use ibTB is available on the TB hub or via the help section on ibTB.
PCR testing for M.bovis
From the end of March a new PCR test will be used by APHA to diagnose bovine TB in post-mortem tissue samples. Initially for tissue samples taken from suspicious lesions found in carcases of TB slaughterhouse cases in cattle and certain non-bovines, APHA intend to then consider wider use of the test for routine detection of TB in post-mortem
samples taken from skin and blood test positive cattle.
The main advantage of PCR will be to speed up confirmation of disease or its absence, typically taking three weeks in contrast with culture which takes between 6 and 22 weeks to obtain a final result.
Further information about the new M. bovis PCR test is available on the TB hub website and an APHA briefing note is available here.
Cattle TB vaccine and DIVA test
Phase 1 of DIVA cattle TB vaccination trials investigating specificity of the DST-F test and confirming its safety started in last July with the aim of completion by May this year. The trials have involved a small number of TB-free farms in the Low-Risk Area (LRA) of England and Low TB Area of Wales. Phase 2, testing the cattle BCG vaccine and DIVA test together, is planned to commence this summer.
Defra and the trial management team are still looking for farms to help with this work and the inclusion criteria include:
• Officially TB Free (OTF) herd in the LRA of England or Low TB Area of Wales
• Minimum of eight continuous years free from TB (OTF status)
• The herd cannot be on a current radial or contiguous TB testing regimen
• The herd cannot be in a potential or confirmed TB hotspot (as defined by APHA)
• The herd cannot have purchased cattle from a higher TB risk area in the 12 calendar months preceding day 1 of the field trial
Incentive payments are available for participating farmers.
For more information email [email protected] or check out the APHA Science Blog or the TB hub.