bTB outbreak confirmed on Skye
Last year there were 11 new cases of bovine TB in Scotland, which met the requirement for another year of OTF status.
An outbreak of bovine TB has been detected in a herd on the Isle of Skye, the Scottish government has confirmed.
Scotland was given Officially TB Free (OTF) status in 2009, owing to the very low incidence of the disease. However, a small number of cases continue to occur each year.
TB was identified in a herd on Skye following routine herd testing, which is undertaken as part of Scotland’s TB controls. The herd is now subject to movement restrictions and this will remain the case until it is considered free from disease.
Cattle that tested positive have been slaughtered and test results from adjacent farms were negative for TB. Further testing of the herd is being carried out, along with veterinary investigations to determine the source of the infection.
A spokesperson for NFU Scotland said: “Thankfully, such TB cases remain rare. Scotland has achieved disease-free status for TB through a combination of routine testing of our herds; abattoir surveillance and pre- and post-movement testing of animals moving into Scotland from high risk TB areas in other parts of the UK.
“This regime identifies a small number of cases in Scotland each year but the number of cattle affected remains low, allowing us to keep our valuable TB-free status.”
Last year there were 11 new cases of bovine TB in Scotland, which met the requirement for another year of OTF status. Most cases in Scotland can be traced to movements of infected animals, according to the government, and wildlife - including badgers - are not thought to play a significant role in the spread of TB there.
Earlier this month the APHA confirmed bovine TB had been found in badgers in East Cumbria for the first time. Sixteen cattle holdings in the area have been affected between November 2014 and February 2017.
The Scottish government said in a statement it is aware of the situation in Cumbria and is monitoring developments. However, there is no evidence to suggest this outbreak is affecting Scotland.
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
