Good has been veterinary head of the bovine TB eradication programme since 1999 and TB levels in that time have seen a steady decline. The number of reactor animals has dropped from approximately 45,000 in 1999 to 15,317 in 2015, the lowest level recorded since the fight against bovine TB began more than 50 years ago.
A large part of this success can be attributed to Good’s overseeing of the badger culling programme, which reduced TB in badgers by 50% since the early 2000s.
It may seem like an obvious part of the solution now, but back when Good first began to focus on badgers, a number of fellow vets laughed at the idea.
Lately the Department has also, under Good’s remit, moved to tackle TB in deer.
The Dealer has always received very positive feedback about Good in conversations with both farmers and vets in different parts of the country
An employee of the Department of Agriculture for 36 years, Good is also a member of the TB sub-group of the EU task force on disease eradication and has contributed to numerous reports on bovine TB.
The Dealer has always received very positive feedback about Good – a soft-spoken but powerful force in the fight to eradicate TB from the national herd – in conversations with both farmers and vets in different parts of the country.
The Dealer understands that the Department has not yet appointed a replacement, but whoever he or she is, they will be facing into a target of eradicating TB from the national herd by 2030. Good herself has said this target is “challenging”. Will the next appointee to Good’s position be able to get this over the line? Let’s hope so.
Listen to a interview with Margaret Good from this week below
Listen to "Update on fight against TB from head of TB eradication programme" on Spreaker.
Read more
Map: no recent progress on bovine TB
Good has been veterinary head of the bovine TB eradication programme since 1999 and TB levels in that time have seen a steady decline. The number of reactor animals has dropped from approximately 45,000 in 1999 to 15,317 in 2015, the lowest level recorded since the fight against bovine TB began more than 50 years ago.
A large part of this success can be attributed to Good’s overseeing of the badger culling programme, which reduced TB in badgers by 50% since the early 2000s.
It may seem like an obvious part of the solution now, but back when Good first began to focus on badgers, a number of fellow vets laughed at the idea.
Lately the Department has also, under Good’s remit, moved to tackle TB in deer.
The Dealer has always received very positive feedback about Good in conversations with both farmers and vets in different parts of the country
An employee of the Department of Agriculture for 36 years, Good is also a member of the TB sub-group of the EU task force on disease eradication and has contributed to numerous reports on bovine TB.
The Dealer has always received very positive feedback about Good – a soft-spoken but powerful force in the fight to eradicate TB from the national herd – in conversations with both farmers and vets in different parts of the country.
The Dealer understands that the Department has not yet appointed a replacement, but whoever he or she is, they will be facing into a target of eradicating TB from the national herd by 2030. Good herself has said this target is “challenging”. Will the next appointee to Good’s position be able to get this over the line? Let’s hope so.
Listen to a interview with Margaret Good from this week below
Listen to "Update on fight against TB from head of TB eradication programme" on Spreaker.
Read more
Map: no recent progress on bovine TB
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