TB at lowest levels in England for nearly two decades

Bovine tuberculosis in England’s cattle herds has fallen to its lowest levels since the mid-2000s, according to official statistics for the 12 months to December 2025.

The latest quarterly figures, published on 18 March by Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency, show herd incidence – the proportion of herds with at least one confirmed TB case – dropped to 7.0, down from 7.7 in 2024.

This is the lowest level recorded since September 2007. Herd prevalence, the proportion of herds under movement restrictions due to bovine tuberculosis (TB), also fell sharply to 3.5%, the lowest since November 2007.

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The number of new TB herd incidents in England fell 14% year-on-year to 2,139, the lowest annual total since 2002.

In the High Risk Area (HRA), new incidents dropped to 1,625, the fewest since June 2002.

Herd incidence in the HRA fell from 13.7 to 12.1, the lowest since 2007, while the Edge Area improved from 7.4 to 6.9, its lowest level since 2015.

By December 2025, 1,550 English herds remained under restriction, an 18% reduction on the previous year and the lowest level since 2004.

The HRA recorded 1,185 restricted herds, its fewest since March 2002. The number of cattle slaughtered as part of TB control fell 5% to 20,494 head.

Wales also recorded improvements, with herd incidence dipping from 6.8 to 6.7 and herd prevalence falling from 5.7% to 5.3%.

TB-infected cattle slaughters fell 14% to 11,257, following unusually high culling levels in 2024. Scotland’s TB levels remained very low, with herd prevalence steady at 0.1%.

Defra caution

Defra officials said the figures reflect the impact of ongoing disease control measures, including targeted testing, culling of infected cattle and wider biosecurity efforts.

However, they cautioned that short-term data should be read in the context of long-term trends, testing frequency and regional management strategies.

Defra is set to launch a refreshed TB eradication strategy for England later this spring, which is expected to include measures to strengthen biosecurity, improve cattle testing, and accelerate eradication in persistent high-risk areas.

“This dataset points to clear, sustained progress in reducing TB across England,” the department said, while stressing that vigilance and compliance remain essential to maintain momentum.