Welsh farmers demand bovine TB overhaul as losses mount

Welsh farmers have called for a major overhaul of bovine TB policy as new figures highlight the continuing financial and livestock toll of the disease.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has launched a new mandate outlining changes it wants, including greater veterinary support, action on infected wildlife and improved trading options for farms under TB restrictions.

See also: Analysis: Can England’s updated TB strategy deliver by 2038?

Figures cited by the union show that 92,376 cattle were slaughtered under bovine TB controls between 2016 and 2025, while more than 22.3m cattle tests were carried out.

Official figures show 479 new TB herd incidents were recorded in Wales in the year to March 2026, down 23% on the previous 12 months, although bovine TB remains endemic.

Mounting costs

The union estimates bovine TB eradication measures cost Welsh taxpayers £25-30m/year.

In 2024-25, £21.4m was paid in compensation for 12,994 slaughtered cattle – about £7m more than the Welsh government’s original budget allocation.

However, the FUW argues compensation does not reflect wider business losses, including lost income and milk production, disrupted breeding lines, delayed restocking and additional feed, bedding and housing costs.

The FUW said these losses can run into tens of thousands of pounds, particularly for larger herds or farms facing lengthy restrictions.

Farmer priorities

The Mandate for Bovine TB Eradication in Wales: A farmer’s point of view was developed following consultation with members.

The union wants every farmer experiencing a TB breakdown allocated a case vet, with private vets given a greater role in managing cases.

On wildlife, the union wants the Badger Found Dead Scheme to continue. It also wants existing evidence used to develop targeted interventions where disease is identified, alongside surveillance of other wildlife, including deer.

Any wildlife intervention should be evidence-based, financially deliverable and include a predetermined exit strategy, it said.

The FUW also wants wider access to specialist TB units and markets for restricted cattle, including orange markets and TB isolation units in the intermediate TB area north and approved finishing units in both intermediate TB areas.

It argues wider trading options could ease financial and animal welfare pressures on restricted farms.

The union is also calling for bovine TB skin-test interpretation to be aligned across England and Wales.

It says differences mean some cattle classified as inconclusive reactors in Wales could be considered clear under English interpretation, creating concerns for cross-border farmers.

Welsh government response

The Welsh government said it was refreshing its approach to bovine TB eradication around three pillars: cattle, people and wildlife.

“This will be evidence-based and science-led, informed by advice from the Programme Board and Technical Advisory Group, while ensuring value for money is central to decision-making,” a spokesman said.

He added that the government was “also committed to paying farmers a fair sum for cattle slaughtered because of bovine TB”.