If we were to collect all the farmer knowledge and experience about bovine TB together, the result would probably be a pretty heavyweight and useful book. That's why I'm keen to encourage farmers to participate in a bit of research.
There's an important study going on by academics at... it's a bit of a mouthful...... http://www.veeru.reading.ac.uk/ They've been commissioned by DEFRA to compile a history of bovine TB in England since 1980. The idea being that such information will serve as a framework to interpret analytical studies on the disease.
Farmers, vets, agricultural advisers and auctioneers are needed to help pull the information together because the researchers want to hear from people who have been directly involved with Bovine TB. They are looking for experience-based knowledge that may contribute to a better understanding of the outbreak and possible risk factors.
To kick-start their work, they've launched a confidential consultation process in the form of a short on-line tick box questionnaire. It's vital that as many people as possible with direct experience of the disease take part so please have a look at the survey and add your pennyworth..... You never know, it could make a difference to long term decisions about the management of this terrible disease.