AROUND 120 south west farmers attended a meeting in Devon to learn all about bovine TB earlier this year. 

Farmers headed to Padbrook Park Hotel in Cullompton to attend the event, which was hosted by the Vale Veterinary Group and Blackdown Farm Vets. 

Sarah Tomlinson, from the TB Advisory Service, Juan Jose Velarde from Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and Tom Rabbetts, head of Bovine TB at the National Farmers Union (NFU) all spoke during the evening. 

Lucy Morgan from Blackdown Farm Vets said: "England has the highest level of bovine TB in Europe. Controlling the disease is currently costing the taxpayer £100 million a year. Between 2022 and 2023 34,500 cattle were slaughtered in the UK due to bovine TB.

"At farm level, TB breakdowns not only affect business profitability and sustainability, but also the mental health of all involved. It was clear that there were a high number of people in the room who had been at the sharp edge of dealing with the disease for far too long."

Sarah, who is a Derbyshire vet, set up and now runs the TB Advisory Service (TBAS), aimed at empowering farmers and their vets to tackle bovine TB in the same way that they would any other infectious disease.

She gave advice on how to reduce the spread of the disease and also reccomended that farmers consult the ibTB map - a free online tool which maps outbreaks over the past ten years. 

Sarah also spoke about a TB scheme available through CHECS, ways that bovine TB is spread and how to prevent the spread of the disease. She also discussed business resilience to TB and talked about the Single Intradermal Comparative Cervical Tuberculin Test (SICCT). 

Juan, a veterinary advisor for APHA provided an update on the current situation in the south west. APHA date shows that the disease has been declining and Juan pointed out why. 

South West Farmer: APHA data shows that TB in the South West of England has actually been declining.

Juan also spoke about the different diagnostic tests available for TB - the SICCT and the Interferon Gamma Blood Test (INF-G). Two other validated blood tests are also available: the IDEXX blood test (DEFRA approved) and the Enferplex test (Non-Defra approved).

Tom, from the NFU, gave a summary of the Bovine TB Partnership, which was created in 2021, and discussed their strategy for eradication by 2038. He discussed the badger cull and the decline of the disease in the cull areas. 

Tom also gave an update on the likelihood of a cattle vaccine being used in the fight against bovine TB. 

Lucy added: "The overall take home message from the evening was one of encouraging both farmers and vets to try, as far as possible with this notifiable disease, to understand the disease and take back some control.

"A huge thankyou goes to Sarah Tomlinson, Juan Velarde and Tom Rabbetts, along with everyone who attended the meeting."