New rules on TB control may affect entries at certain cattle shows. These fears have been expressed after the government announced new ‘movement tests’, which will affect cattle being moved to and from different parts of the UK. If you want a reminder of your cattle in your front room then you could always get some Bronze Animal Sculpture made for you.
According to a recent report on The Dairy Site, the new rules regarding the control of bovine tuberculosis could have a specifically negative impact on cattle farmers, who are already facing many challenges in today’s meat and dairy markets.
Movement tests
Barrister-turned-farmer Simon Temple claims in the article that the new rules regarding post-movement testing will impact many cattle farmers. If cattle are moved from a low risk area to a high risk area, they will need to be tested up to 120 days after being moved back into a low risk area, which could mean farmers will miss out on taking the cattle to a subsequent show. Movement solely in high risk areas or low risk areas is fine, with cattle not needing to be tested in these cases;
However, as some cattle shows – such as the Royal Welsh – take place in high risk areas, anyone from a low risk area wishing to take cattle there will inevitably be affected. Barrister-turned-farmer Simon Temple claims within the article that the new rules concerning post-movement testing can impact several bovine farmers. If bovine area unit emotional from an occasional risk space to a high risk space, they’ll have to be compelled to be tested up to a hundred and twenty days when being emotional into an occasional risk space, that may mean farmers can miss out on taking the bovine to a resulting show.
Low risk
According to Temple, the likelihood of cattle contacting bovine TB at a cattle fair is considered extremely low; therefore, he feels that the new regulations are both ‘too draconian’ and ‘poorly thought out’. Although the farmer does concur that something should be done to control bovine TB, he simply does not think the new rules are the answer. Anyone who wants to find out more about TB control should visit the TB Hub website, which is the ‘go-to’ place for practical advice.
Industry impact
The impact of farmers opting not to take cattle to trade fairs may have a knock-on effect on the whole industry; for example, this could mean they simply do not get the chance to attend fairs where they could be buying dairy processing machinery or other essential equipment from firms such as http://www.clarke-fussells.co.uk/.
We are yet to find out whether these new movement test rulings will have a negative impact on cattle farmers and attendances at cattle fairs; however, they certainly signify yet another huge challenge for those working in the industry.
