Bovine Tuberculosis: South West
(asked on 2nd June 2015) - View Source
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what difference the badger culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire have made to the incidence of tuberculosis in cattle in those areas.
In Gloucestershire the total annual cattle herd incidence of tuberculosis fell from 12.70% in 2012 to 11.48% in 2014. In Somerset the total annual cattle herd incidence of tuberculosis fell from 7.56% in 2012 to 6.91% in 2014.
Total new breakdowns | Breakdowns with OTF status withdrawn | TB tests in OTF herds | Total annual herd incidence * | ||
Glos. | 2012 | 224 | 181 | 1764 | 12.70% |
2013 | 213 | 174 | 1735 | 12.28% | |
2014 | 196 | 153 | 1708 | 11.48% | |
Soms. | 2012 | 310 | 213 | 4103 | 7.56% |
2013 | 317 | 202 | 4106 | 7.72% | |
2014 | 288 | 197 | 4167 | 6.91% | |
* Total new breakdowns divided by TB tests in OTF herds | |||||
The biology of bovine tuberculosis and its epidemiology is complex. The full effects of interventions will only be seen several years after their introduction.