The following note comes from John Waldon, Chairman of Dartmoor Commoners' Council about the impact of the new bTB regulations on all commons in SW and western England, including Gloucestershire and the New Forest.
A note on TB regulations and Common Land
Pre-movement testing of cattle for TB has been in place in England since 2006 and there is currently an exemption from pre-movement testing for movements of cattle to and from common land. From 30 June 2014, the default will be that all cattle aged over 42 days of age moving to and from common land in the annual testing area - the South-West and West of England (and all of Wales) -must be pre-movement tested.
For movements back from the common, farmers can carry out a post-movement test instead to reflect the fact that in most cases, TB testing on common land is impractical and dangerous. Under normal circumstances for post-movement testing, it is recommended that the test should take place between 60 – 120 days after the movement, as there is a risk that infection may go undetected if it was picked up shortly before leaving the common. The annual herd test can, where the dates are suitable, provide the pre-movement test on to the common in spring.
Vets from Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) will consider licensing some cattle movements without pre-movement testing where veterinary judgement is that an agreed TB Control Plan for the whole common gives at least the same level of assurance as testing would provide. The TB Control plans are designed to provide the correct information to enable AHVLA to undertake risk assessments on an individual herd basis, that in turn will determine the testing requirement specific to the pre and post movement regulations of cattle grazing common land. The plans should be designed to cover an annual grazing period, with yearly update/review due before March 31st. Once a control plan, for the whole common is agreed with AHVLA, licensed movements back to the home farm without a TB test may be permitted. The control plan would need to include a commitment to record the movement of cattle to and from the common land.
In part to mitigate the impact of these new regulations AHVLA have agreed, where it is applicable, for Common Holding Areas to be establish on farms. These areas would isolate cattle from other cattle on the holding. Such areas will need to be approved by AHVLA and will be essential for cattle before they have been tested clear following the movement from the common, although cattle can be sent directly to slaughter.
Commoners on Dartmoor, under the auspices of the Dartmoor Commoners’ Council, have been working with the AHVLA to provide a model TB Control Plan that all the common’s associations on Dartmoor can use. Once this is approved by AHVLA the model plan will be available for other associations and individual farmers to use.
Further information is available from your local AHVLA office and the Defra website:
Note provided by John Waldon
Dartmoor Commoners’ Council
