Regional and temporal characteristics of Bovine Tuberculosis of cattle in Great Britain

More testing essential to defeat bovine TB

New research by the team that previously showed that testing was more effective badger culling at controlling Bovine Tuberculosis, have found the tactics currently employed by the Welsh and Scottish, but not English, authorities are leading to disease reduction.

Using publicly available data researchers from Queen Mary University of London’s Biological and Chemical Sciences were able to determine the effectiveness of current Bovine TB management strategies; the study found declining numbers of infections in previously uninfected herds and more TB free herds in Scotland and Wales. Should their current programmes continue those countries are likely to eradicate the disease while the same is not true in England.

Not only did more testing lead to effective control of the disease but further proof of its importance was shown by spikes in infections and infected herds when there were interruptions to testing after the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak in the UK.

The team noted that the Scottish programme of risk-based testing had led to the reduction in the number of tests there meaning that testing not only works but is cost-effective. However, the most rapid decline in infections was recorded in Wales since annual or even more frequent testing was applied.

The researchers also found increases in new incidents in the winter months when cattle are more likely to be housed closer together. This will be partly due to the higher number of tests carried out in the winter but it is in line with other evidence showing increases in human TB infections in winter which are attributed to crowding and lower vitamin D levels.

Dr Aristides Moustakas, said:

“It is clear that the Welsh policy of frequent testing up to every six months and the Scottish policy of risk-based surveillance are producing reductions in the both the incidence and prevalence of TB in cattle.

Professor Matthew Evans, said:

“It is clear that testing cattle frequently is the most effective way of reducing Bovine TB. Farmers and policymakers should not ignore this evidence which is based on the government’s data.”

Full reference:

Moustakas, A. & Evans, M.R. (2016) Regional and temporal characteristics of Bovine Tuberculosis of cattle in Great Britain. Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment 30: 989-1003

This study received substantial media attention including full coverage by The Guardian, BBC Wildlife among other media (please copy and paste into a different browser):

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/sep/09/frequent-tb-testing-for-cattle-more-effective-than-badger-culls

http://www.countryfile.com/explore-countryside/food-and-farming/leading-scientist-urges-government-consider-badger-cull

http://motherboard.vice.com/en_uk/read/more-evidence-the-uks-badger-cull-isnt-the-best-way-to-prevent-tb-in-cattle

http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_round_up/2985335/study_more_testing_essential_to_defeat_bovine_tb.html

http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Testing-bTB-Wales-Scotland-works-better-English/story-27760008-detail/story.html

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-09/qmuo-ece090715.php

https://www.the-newshub.com/science/tb-in-cattle-can-be-wiped-out-by-more-testing-say-scientists

http://blueandgreentomorrow.com/2015/09/09/new-research-confirms-englands-badger-cull-policy-less-effective-to-control-bovine-tb/

http://www.farminguk.com/News/England-could-eradicate-Bovine-TB-without-culling-new-research-shows_36997.html

http://www.thecattlesite.com/news/48585/scientists-find-welsh-scottish-tb-regimes-effective/

Also here is an email message received by the media officer of Queen Mary University of London by Humane Society International/UK

Many thanks for sending this through, it makes for a fascinating read. I've sent you below here a response comment to your paper from Humane Society International/UK's Professor Alastair Macmillan. Alastair, as you may know, is ex-DEFRA where he ran the team on research into TB. We will send our response quote to a few warm media contacts on your strict embargo, and please feel free to also send it to any reporters you are working with. If you prefer for me to do so, let me know if there is a particular journalist with whom you are working who may be interested in a response quote from an animal protection group for their story. All good wishes Wendy Professor Alastair Macmillan, veterinary advisor, Humane Society International/UK, said: "This new paper provides extremely strong evidence of what many experts in veterinary disease control have known for many years - that it is crucial to test cattle as frequently as possible in order to control bovine TB. The Queen Mary researchers have shown without doubt that killing badgers will have little effect, whilst employing the policies of Wales and Scotland, where badgers are not culled, will continue to have a dramatic impact on reducing TB in cattle. "Frequent cattle testing is particularly important as the sensitivity of currently available diagnostic tests is not very high, meaning that cattle incubating TB are not detected and are allowed to remain in the herd to infect others over the following months. These cattle are by far the most common reason why cattle herds suffer repeated TB breakdowns, not badgers. The government must heed this evidence and stop wasting time and resources on killing badgers to no effect. All efforts must instead be focused on far more frequent cattle testing and strict cattle movement control. How much more research and scientific evidence does this government need before it listens to the rational facts?" Wendy Higgins EU Communications Director Humane Society International/UK http://www.hsi.org/