The madness of “one size fits all “

[Bald Rick]

Early in October we undertook our annual bTB test and were relaxed going into reading day as we are a housed herd with no wildlife carriers (as far as we know) within 5 mile radius, nothing bought in within last 18 months and then from Denmark and are in a supposed clean area with no pre movement testing
So the surprise was great when we had two “reactors”
These have been duly culled as per rules and lo, no lesions or sign of bTB.
However Welsh Government have a policy of blood testing all animals over six months if two or more reactors show on the skin test. This will be a gamma interferon test that captures all micro viruses including Johnes so we have been told to expect “false positives” which will also be culled regardless. Potentially we could lose a large number of cows and heifers despite our Johnes management plan.
Further we cannot restock until we have a clear skin test so a minimum of 60 days of lost income from any milkers taken.

Sheer madness causing unbelievable stress

 

[Beef farmer]

Welcome to many peoples daily strugle

 

[Rossymons]

I hate to say it but it's barely begun and you aren't farming your own farm now.

 

[endeavour]

Oh for an accurate blood or skin test forty plus years farming and still no appreciable advance in the test efficacy . A wish for all cattle farmers forget about Brexit this will give you far more headaches, sorry.

 

[vantage]

Early in October we undertook our annual bTB test and were relaxed going into reading day as we are a housed herd with no wildlife carriers (as far as we know) within 5 mile radius, nothing bought in within last 18 months and then from Denmark and are in a supposed clean area with no pre movement testing
So the surprise was great when we had two “reactors”
These have been duly culled as per rules and lo, no lesions or sign of bTB.
However Welsh Government have a policy of blood testing all animals over six months if two or more reactors show on the skin test. This will be a gamma interferon test that captures all micro viruses including Johnes so we have been told to expect “false positives” which will also be culled regardless. Potentially we could lose a large number of cows and heifers despite our Johnes management plan.
Further we cannot restock until we have a clear skin test so a minimum of 60 days of lost income from any milkers taken.

Sheer madness causing unbelievable stress

Adding insult to injury will be the fact you will be taxed on the compo.

 

[vantage]

And any restocks will only be valued at 50% .

 

[applejack]

Don't make it any worse for him ,he's only just started down the wretched road.

 

[Scholsey]

How do you know there are no wildlife carriers for 5 miles? Are there no deer or badgers on Anglesey?

 

[Bald Rick]

Point is, IF they were genuine reactors rather than probable Johnes cows, one could understand a test and cull via bloods but it be told that any positives will be taken is crazy.. if we had TB then it would be understandable and you could accept it but we are in a “clean” area with low risk yet are being treated like a hot spot farm

 

[Bald Rick]

How do you know there are no wildlife carriers for 5 miles? Are there no deer or badgers on Anglesey?

Only on Holy Island at the top of the island is a sett but long way from here. No deer on the island.
Fear, of course, is badgers being dumped from off mainland

 

[Scholsey]

Put wildlife cameras up in the feed passage and silage pits, something’s bringing it in.

 

[Bald Rick]

Put wildlife cameras up in the feed passage and silage pits, something’s bringing it in.

We don’t have TB

 

[The Agrarian]

It wasn't me guv. Honest.


My understanding is that the skin test is much more likely to throw false negatives than false positives.

 

[lazy farmer]

Yes you do. The test throws up false negatives not false positive. We held your view for many months after our first failure we were just in denial.
Just because you don’t have lesions doesn’t mean you don t have tb.
Sorry. Be proactive and find the vector and remove it.

 

[jondear]

Welcome to many peoples daily strugle

Someone within 5 miles from us lost 81 the other day in one test . previously they had 1ir . Scary !

 

[Beef farmer]

Someone within 5 miles from us lost 81 the other day in one test . previously they had 1ir . Scary !

Friend was clear for 3 years, lost 80% of his closed herd (45years) in 120 days

 

[Scholsey]

No visible lesions doesn’t mean they didn’t have TB it means they couldn’t find it in them in the 4-5 places they look, it can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

 

[jondear]

Friend was clear for 3 years, lost 80% of his closed herd (45years) in 120 days

Can't like that.

 

[Ducati899]

Could be worse,you could of just lost over 20% of you’re current milking herd like I just have on a blood test

 

[More to life]

Could be worse,you could of just lost over 20% of you’re current milking herd like I just have on a blood test

Don't think he's done bloods yet