Welcome!
After what could be described as a ‘difficult’ spring, it is great to see cattle out in the fields and the grass seems to be growing well. On many farms, however, cattle are still fed some sort of concentrate at grass – and many suckler farmers will be supplementing their calves with creep feed. Badgers enjoy all types of cattle feed, so there is an increased likelihood of badger-cattle interaction when supplementary feeds are given at pasture. Infected badgers can excrete M. bovis in sputum, urine and faeces, as well as in discharge from an infected wound, which can then be picked up by any cattle that come into contact with it. If you do feed cattle at pasture, the TB Advisory Service recommends that you:
Your chance to WIN! The TB Advisory Service has teamed up with IAE to give one lucky farmer a brand-new badger-proof cattle feeding trough! All farmers receiving a FREE Advice Visit from TBAS before 31st October 2018 will be entered into a prize draw – so don’t delay, book your Advice Visit today!
IAE are also looking for a farm that uses their Classic Calf Creep Feeder to trial a prototype modification to make them badger-proof – if that’s you, then please give us a call on 01306 779410. To find out more about the TB Advisory Service or to request advice, please contact us today.
Did you know
The acronym ‘OTF’ stands for Officially TB Free – but what does this mean in reality? The primary screening test used to determine TB status in the UK is the ‘skin test’, but the test itself isn’t perfect. In an ideal world, a diagnostic test would pick up all the infected animals and return a negative result for all the animals that don’t have the disease – the test would be said to have 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity.
Whilst the TB skin test has a specificity of 99.97% (i.e. it is very good at picking up TB infected animals), the sensitivity is only 80%, which means there is a 20% chance of a TB-infected animal having a clear test. In other words, if there are five animals in a herd that have TB, one animal will ‘pass’ the skin test and not be disclosed as a reactor. This is the reason a herd undergoes Short Interval Testing (60 day testing) after a breakdown – to try to find any other cattle harbouring TB and remove them from the herd, so they aren’t a reservoir of infection. So, what does this actually mean for you?
The longer a herd has been OTF, the less likely it is that the herd actually contains TB-infected animals. If you are thinking of buying in stock, don’t forget to ask about the length of time the herd has had an OTF status – you can check www.ibtb.co.uk to see all TB breakdowns in the last 5 years. And remember, whilst OTF stands for ‘Officially TB Free’, it would be wise to remember that ‘Occasionally Tests Fail’!
Meet The Team
Ever wondered about the people involved in the TB Advisory Service?
Name: Lindsay Heasman
Role: Project Manager
Lindsay Heasman is the TB Advisory Project Manager, a role that keeps her very busy! ‘It’s a very varied job – liaising with the consultants, farmers, Defra and APHA, as well as arranging farmer meetings and writing articles to promote the service. TB is obviously a very emotive subject, and it’s great to feel that we are doing something to help through the TB Advisory Service. The feedback we have had so far has been very positive – and made a real difference on farm, which in itself is very rewarding’. Many farmers have been sceptical about whether our consultants can tell them anything they don’t already know, but a fresh pair of eyes can often make a big difference! Outside work, Lindsay and her partner David keep beef cattle, sheep and laying hens on their farm in Kent. ‘I love the outdoor life – walking our dogs and looking after the horses - and it’s a great place to bring up our 4-year old daughter. Her favourites are the hens, especially collecting the eggs!’
