A detailed report, commissioned by Defra Secretary Michael Gove, looking at bovine TB policy in England and how it might be changed with a view to eradicating the disease by 2038, has been published this week.

Produced by a group led by Professor Charles Godfray from Oxford University, the report runs to 136 pages and makes a number of recommendations. Perhaps most controversially, the group backs the continuation of badger culling in England as one means towards lowering disease incidence in cattle, but is also clear that there are many other actions required.

In particular, it highlights that poor uptake of farm biosecurity measures and trading of cattle between herds is “severely hampering disease control measures”, so want industry to take more ownership of the problem. There are also a number of references made to potential fraud involving swapping ear tags in England, with the group recommending that either all calves are DNA sampled when tagged, or a microchip scheme is introduced.

Other recommendations include trying to influence behavioural change among farmers by paying less compensation to those who take risks when purchasing cattle (such as buying from a high TB-incidence area). There is also a suggestion that government should consider backing an insurance-type programme to replace compensation for reactor animals. In terms of overall governance, the group suggest retaining high-level policy making within Defra, but devolving much of the disease control operations to a new independent regulator.

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