New Farmers' TB Blog

Herefordshire beef farmer Julia Evans, is the first contributer to a new farmers' blog organised by Farmers Guardian, as part of their ongoing 'Target TB' initiative.

After an FMD restock from a single closed herd in 2001, Julia writes:

"In the spring of 2002 we had our first routine TB test. There were eight reactors. We had never had a problem with TB on the farm and the herd certainly had no history of it. I was very disappointed and have continued to be so on and off for the last seven years.

The herd has been tested every 60 days for four out of the last seven years. Reactor cattle are killed, heavily pregnant cows, newly calved or heifers destined for show or sale, but I can't get rid of the disease because some of the numerous badgers who share the pastures with the cattle are also infected with TB. Nothing has been or is being done to address this part of the problem.

I should have sold between 30 or 40 pedigree females by now. I've managed to sell three. TB has ruined, and continues to ruin, my business."

More farmers will contribute to this site over the coming weeks, telling it 'like it is' on their farms, dealing with TB, testing and movement restriction problems at grass roots level. Read Julia's introductory posting.