no more milk from tb cows

MILK FROM bovine TB reactor cows will no longer be allowed to enter bulk tanks from Jan 1, 2006, as a result of changes to the EU”s food hygiene regulations.

Despite opposition from the UK, Brussels has made changes to protect consumers, says the Food Standards Agency. The rules will allow milk from the rest of the herd to be sold for human consumption, providing it is heat treated, it adds.

pasteurised

Together with DEFRA, it is considering whether pasteurised reactor milk could be fed to calves, or collected and processed at high temperatures for animal feed.

 Since the UK pasteurises milk to reduce the risk of TB in humans, Dairy UK”s techical director Ed Komorowski also sees no reason why milk producers can”t heat-treat reactor milk for calf feeding on farm. “If this milk is dumped, it”s lost income and it can be a pollutant,” says Dr Komorowski.

 However, the FSA claims only a small volume of milk is involved.

 minimal risk

 With no provision for compensation for dumped milk, NFU TB specialist Jan Rowe calls it an over-reaction by Brussels. “Public health risk from TB is minimal because we pasteurise milk, so this is pointless legislation.”

 Cashflows will be affected and with compensation taking up to four weeks, there is no milk income or money for buying replacements, says Mr Rowe.

DEFRA says it is monitoring reactor removal times, with a view to speeding them up and will re-look at TB compensation this year.