DEFRA and the devolved
administrations have announced plans to cease routine two-yearly
blood testing of beef animals for
brucellosis from April this year.
In a letter to the
Veterinary Record (March
24), signed by DEFRA chief veterinary officer Debby Reynolds,
Charles Milne, chief vet for Scotland and Christianne Glossop,
chief vet for Wales, the decision to cease blood testing was made
on the basis “there is little justification for continuing the
existing routine for beef herd surveillance”.
According to the letter the UK is no longer required to maintain
this testing under EU rules. The UK also considers the routine
testing to add little to its ability to detect brucellosis
outbreaks and that testing does not represent a cost-effective
mechanism for demonstrating freedom for the disease or for
detecting disease, says the letter.
However, other controls, such as abortion reporting and
investigating and routine monthly bulk milk testing in dairy herds
will be retained.
In its editorial the magazine criticises the decision on two
fronts.
First, that the poor notice given to the veterinary sector about
the imminent change will be to the detriment of many large animal
practices.
Second, that in the Animal Health and Welfare Strategy the
government outlined a vision for the future devised around a
‘partnership’ with private practices, the farming industry and
itself.
“It stands to reason that if vets are to fulfil these roles
[informing animal keepers of the latest research findings and
promoting best practice] they need to be available and get on to
farms, and that practices are there to provide these services
required,” said the magazine.