NAO criticises DEFRA for progress on TB
Poor farm biosecurity and inadequate testing procedures are exacerbating the spread of bovine tuberculosis, the government’s spending watchdog has warned.
In a damning report, the National Audit Office (NAO) said DEFRA had successfully tackled recent outbreaks of exotic diseases like avian influenza and foot-and-mouth. But it had failed to tackle more serious endemic diseases like bovine TB.
The government’s Animal Health agency spent £33m dealing with exotic disease outbreaks in 2007-08. This expenditure represented “good value for money” compared to the cost of these diseases becoming more widespread, said the NAO.
During the same year, DEFRA spent £77m on bovine TB, representing 34% of the department’s spending on endemic diseases. Tackling bovine TB accounted for 39% of Animal Health’s expenditure during 2007-08, according to the NAO report.
But the disease had continued to spread. Although herd restrictions applied immediately when bovine TB was identified, compliance with routine testing requirements to detect the disease had not been rigorously enforced.
Out of 20 farms in Gloucestershire, for example, 11 farmers had failed to present their animals for testing on time. In each case, Animal Health had failed to enforce compliance, instead placing each herd under a movement restriction.
Auditor general Tim Burr said: “The department could tackle disease more effectively by working with farmers and their vets to improve farm biosecurity and by enforcing compulsory testing.”
DEFRA had eradicated outbreaks of avian influenza and foot-and-mouth before they could spread further. But bovine TB continued to pose a significant risk to farmers’ livelihoods, said Mr Burr.
In cases where the disease was confirmed, Animal Health took on average 15 days to remove infected cattle for slaughter, against its target of 20 days; but took longer than 20 days in nine out of 46 cases reviewed by the NAO.
“There are no national standards on farm biosecurity to minimise the risk of diseases spreading,” said Mr Burr. “More effective planning and collaborative working would enable better control of endemic disease.”
The Tories called for a comprehensive package of measures to tackle bovine TB. Shadow farm minister Jim Paice said DEFRA’s complacent attitude towards the disease was the sign of a government unable to make decisions.
“DEFRA advice to farmers on bovine TB focuses on measures to reduce the risk of infection presented by badgers, yet the NAO suggests that the department doesn’t know what those measures should be.”
National Beef Association director Kim Marie-Haywood described the situation as farcical. Compulsory testing had seen 40,000 removed from British livestock farms in the past 12 months alone, she said.
“The key issue here is that it is a very one-sided testing strategy and there is no point in constantly testing cattle when livestock are constantly being re-infected with bovine TB from other sources.”
Farm minister Jane Kennedy said “We are committed to tackling bovine TB and have agreed with industry that the Bovine TB Eradication Group for England will review the current TB strategy and develop a plan for eventual eradication.”