New TB stats suggest a downward trend
http://www.nfbg.org.uk/Content/Home.asp
New TB statistics for 2007, published today, suggest that the disease
is beginning to decline without any badger culling in Great Britain.

The statistics cover all of 2007 and, whilst the number of new
incidents is six per cent higher than in 2006, it is only one per cent
higher than in 2005. Moreover, the number of cattle slaughtered as
reactors is down nine per cent on 2005. This is despite a sharp rise
of 18 per cent between 2006 and 2007, following Defra's extended use
of the gamma interferon blood test for TB .

The fall over a two year period contrasts with an eight per cent
increase in the number of herds tested and an 11 per cent increase in
the number of cattle tested.
Trevor Lawson from the Badger Trust commented: "We hope that this is
an early indication that Defra's tightening TB-testing regime is
starting to bear fruit. It was always predicted by scientists that the
increase in testing would trigger a perceived increase in the number
of outbreaks, simply because more already-infected cattle were being
detected.
"But it is also known that better testing will reverse the disease by
removing infected livestock faster. That reverse may already be
happening, particularly because the Government is now using the gamma
interferon test more frequently.
"However, we still believe that not enough testing is being done. Nor
is the gamma interferon test yet being used often enough. It is
essential that Defra keeps its foot on the testing accelerator and
dramatically extends the use of gamma interferon. There are certainly
many more infected herds out there yet to be found and whilst these
latest results are promising, we may not yet have seen the peak in
this insidious cattle disease.

"One figure which does worry us is the fall of 62 per cent in the
number of cattle slaughtered as dangerous contacts over the last two
years. We would expect the fall in the number of dangerous contacts to
parallel the fall in the number of animals slaughtered as reactors.
But this drop is much greater, suggesting that a different
interpretation of 'dangerous contact' is being applied. If that means
that potentially infected cattle are not being identified, that must
be investigated and addressed."
ENDS

For further comment, contact Trevor Lawson on 07976 262388.
1. The Badger Trust is the only organisation solely dedicated to the
conservation and welfare of badgers in the UK.
2. The latest TB figures are available at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/stats/latest.htm







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