Call for views on strengthening TB eradication programme in England

THE prospect of a radical shake-up in the arrangements for tackling bovine TB in England is raised by a document published by the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England (AHWBE) this week. Established last year to take forward plans for responsibility and cost sharing, the AHWBE plays a significant role in determining government policy. Its document – ‘A call for your views on strengthening our TB eradication programme and new ways of working’ – argues that a ‘step change’ is needed if the disease is to be tackled effectively, while also suggesting the current arrangements are financially unsustainable. The board explains that it is looking for ideas from vets and farmers on new approaches to tackling the disease in cattle and, in the document, also floats a few ideas of its own.

‘We are not yet winning the war on bovine TB in England,’ says Michael Seals, the AHWBE's chairman. ‘The board's view is that we need to do more, and find new ways of working to overcome the disease.’

The board believes that ‘now is the right time to challenge government, the livestock industry and the veterinary profession to build on the current approach to bovine TB eradication and ensure that we are all doing everything we can to eradicate the disease, while making sure that our …