The government could speed up the removal of TB reactors from farms by allowing farmers to pay for them to be taken away, according to the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers.
Speaking on the opening day of the 2011 Dairy Event and Livestock Show, RABDF chairman David Cotton called on DEFRA to review its TB clearance policy and introduce market-based solutions.
“Farmers, including myself, are waiting an average of two weeks from the tests results being received to removal from the farm by facilitators managed by AHVLA,” he said.
“During that period those cattle have to be isolated and run the further risk of infecting wildlife.
“RABDF proposes that farmers are empowered with a choice of disposal by offering them a market-based solution, similar to the service already delivered by the National Fallen Stock Company for the collection and disposal of fallen stock.
“Farmers would have access to a list of slaughter premises and hauliers who we would place confidence in to accelerate the current reactor clearance procedure.”
Mr Cotton, who himself manages 460 dairy cattle on a farm in Somerset which has been shut down with TB for over two years, said farmers also had to take more measures to minimise TB transmission – challenging them to adopt five key measures.
These were:
* Adhering to the 60-day pre-movement testing rule
* Sourcing stock from farms with no reactors for two years
* Isolating all purchased animals for four weeks
* Ensuring all bought-in animals come with a full health declaration form
* Taking advice from vets and consultants on the best methods of controlling TB.
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