Today I went to shop in the nearby small town, and found it was a cattle mart day. So there were 2 signs up one said "Store Cattle and TB tested cows only" directed to the Cattle Shed. The other read "Non TB tested cows and over 30 months cattle" to go to the Old Calf Shed.
Well I stopped a farmer and asked him the difference. He said the non TB tested cows/older cattle went for a cheaper price. I called in at the NFU office and was told that the non TB tested cows were barren and that they were going for slaughter rather than to be sold on. The TB tested ones had been tested in the last 6 weeks. But the non TB tested ones had been tested at either an interval of one year in a bTB hotspot or 2 years interval if not.
I am wondering about why some cattle are left for so long without a bTB test. In spite of the fact that the other cattle who are being sold have had a recent test, I would have thought that such a long interval between testing could mean that bTB could infect any of the other animals that weren't barren? only to be picked up when they were tested before going to market, and that it would be a risk to bring these untested ones to a market.
but I've just looked on DEFRA pre movement testing and if the animals are going to slaughter its an exemption along with some others. Still seems a possible disease risk if they are in the market. But I don't know enough about cattle either naturelover!
Linear Mode
