Brian May and Bovine TB: A Closer Look

Published on: sept 10, 2024

Many of you will have watched this and tried to relate it to your own experiences. It would be easy to dismiss the opinions expressed in this program as simplistic, but it is good to be open to new ideas.

A number of Sir Brian May’s suggestions were identical to those offered by the TB Advisory Service (TBAS):

• Don’t spread slurry on grazing ground, but if you must, allow a minimum of 60 days to lapse before turning your cattle onto the field.

• Apply slurry by methods which minimise environmental contamination, eg injection and dribble bars.

• Empty water troughs – every few days. That’s new to me, nobody before has suggested how often this should be done. TB bacteria can survive for up to 60 days in water.

• Don’t contaminate silage and feed with slurry – don’t walk on it. Would you eat your lunch if you dropped it on the floor of the cubicle house?

The skin test is getting on for 100 years old. If it’s been in use for that long, it probably means that it works as it has been the basis of eradication in other parts of the world. It works for me. As a rough guide to the level of undetected TB in your herd, ask how many bottom reactions were recorded at your next test, and how big they were. Small in size and not very many, probably nothing to worry about; lots of big ones – could be something going on.

If 1 gram of slurry can contain enough TB bacteria to infect a cow, then wouldn’t you expect farm workers and vets to get TB? The incidence of bovine TB in the rural population is very low.

Shepton Vets are unusual in that we have a number of herds which are CHECS TB Accredited. That means they have been TB free for at least one year and are eligible for annual testing. These are 200+ cow herds, some even number one thousand animals. These herd owners have heeded advice and adopted biosecurity measures to reduce the risk of their herds having a TB breakdown. Ask if you want to know more.