Welsh government tightens TB movement restrictions

Livestock producers in Wales will face tougher TB controls for cattle from January 2026.

The Welsh government has announced that any cattle found inconclusive for TB will be subject to lifetime movement restrictions.

This will mean that inconclusive cattle will no longer be able to move off the holding after a negative retest, unless it is to be taken to an approved finishing unit or direct to slaughter.

See also: Cattle TB vaccine field trials enter next phase

The change has been implemented to address industry concerns about the spread of TB between herds.

Animals that have previously tested inconclusive are three times more likely to become TB reactors than clear-tested cattle, according to scientific evidence.

Deputy first minister of Wales Huw Irranca-Davies said: “Industry asked, and we have listened. Evidence shows these resolved standard IR cattle are higher risk, because a larger proportion go on to become TB reactors.

“Currently this risks cattle with undetected infection being moved and spreading TB to other herds.”

Guarded welcome 

Farm leaders have given a guarded welcome to the tougher new rules.

Farmers Union of Wales deputy president Dai Miles said: “Bovine TB continues to have a profound economic and emotional impact on Welsh farmers and their businesses.

“This policy change, following the Technical Advisory Group and Programme Board’s review of the evidence, must be acknowledged as a practical, evidence-led step to help protect herds from the risk of unintentionally bringing in infected animals.”

Despite this, he said the policy change did raise valid concerns about the level of assurance provided by a negative TB test result.

“There may also be understandable frustration within the farming community at what feels like yet another layer of restriction being placed on already heavily regulated cattle movements.”

Comprehensive strategy 

NFU Cymru also welcomed the move, but called for a more comprehensive TB eradication strategy in Wales.

Roger Lewis, chairman of NFU Cymru’s bovine TB focus group, said: “The scientific evidence is clear that these animals are at significantly greater risk of becoming a TB reactor in the future.

“We believe it is sensible to remove that risk from the marketplace to avoid other herds becoming inadvertently infected.

“However, we continue to impress the need for urgency and for the scale and pace of progress to be accelerated.

“For those people who are dealing with bovine TB on a daily basis, progress towards eradication feels slow and often non-existent.”